Songs of Hillwood
by kayhampster
Summary: A set of song fictions. (20/50 completed)
1. I'd Rather Be With You

Hey guys! This is my first fan fiction entitled "Songs of Hillwood". Basically it's a bunch of situations based on songs that appear on my I-Tunes!  
As I said in the summary, most of them are Arnold and Helga related, since they are my favorite couple from Hey Arnold. But there are occasional Rhonda and Curly ones (hint: the next chapter is Rhonda and Curly based!) and one Gerald and Phoebe one that I have planned.

**Disclaimer: **All of these characters belong to the fabulous **Craig Bartlett, Viacom and Nickelodeon**. The song in this fiction is called **"I'd Rather Be With You" by Joshua Radin**. He owns it, not me. I'm not that talented. It's a very good song, I suggest you give it a listen!

I'm hope you all enjoy it! Any reviews are welcome!

* * *

**I'd Rather Be With You**

**A Arnold/Helga song fiction  
**

_**Sitting here on this lonely dock, watch the rain play on the ocean top**_

It had been too long since he had been back to the city he called home. After moving away from Hillwood to attend college in New York City, he wondered if he could even recognize the old gang. He had matured a lot since her days of high school, but a lot more than her days at P.S. 118 where a single girl with a terrible attitude tormented him constantly. Calling him names, tripping him, playing mean pranks on him. He laughed at the thought as he continued walking down the edge of the pier and sat down. It was raining, but he didn't seem to care. After a long day of dealing with his grandparents and the rest of the eclectic borders that he had grown to love at home, he decided that he just needed to take a walk.

He just didn't imagine he'd have so many things to think about. After all, it had been his freshman year at college; there had been a lot of parties, meeting new people, and of course, class-work. And Arnold was glad that he had decided to leave Hillwood and the state for the matter and travel up North. The experience he had was too great to miss. But he had wondered about the last words that his friends had said to him as he was leaving the state and his friends behind.

Rhonda had gushed about how he was going to love New York City because it was full of elegance and fashion.

Phoebe has told him about the exciting tourist opportunities for Arnold to visit and learn about. And from him to bring back a lot of pictures of his adventures.

Sid, Stinky and Harold told him to go play baseball and kick ass. He remembered laughing at that one.

Gerald told him to keep it real and to be himself. And also that no matter what they would still be the best of friends. They finished with their signature handshake.

All of these moments he had loved hearing and remembered thanking each one of them. But there was one person that he had needed to talk to that night. And she wasn't there to say goodbye.

_**All the things I feel I need to say I can't explain in any other way**_

After his friends had left, he remembered that he had decided to walk to her house. He couldn't leave with telling her everything that he needed to explain. There had been a lot of incidents that questioned their friendship in general, most of them deriving around the fact that at one point, this girl had been in love with him. Confessed it even, they had claimed that it was a heat of the moment things and that she really hated him. But after middle school started up and Phoebe and Gerald had started dating, Arnold and Helga were almost forced to be around each other a lot. He saw a lot in her that she was hiding from the world, but at least she was making an effort to be nicer to people. There was several occasions where her anger and frustration would get the best of her and she'd snap back into her ways, but she was truly nicer to people.

He hadn't realized at the time the woman that Helga was becoming.

She had managed to fix the relationships between her and her family. They seemed a lot closer during her high school years. She had made an effort to impress people and made new friends and dated some new people. She mingled and worked the crowd, something that Arnold had known she had been good at all this time. She was funny, charming, and beautiful.

Of course he had noticed the changes in her physically as well as socially and emotionally. While she hardly wore her pink ribbon anymore, she had her own sense of style that was usually completed by a black pair of high-top Converses. She was unique and damn proud of it. She was athletic, playing softball for the varsity softball team. He remembered her pitching her way to a National Championship around this time last year.

He had plenty of good memories with one Helga G. Pataki. They almost seemed like best friends at one point.

Why was it that she hadn't showed up to wish him good luck and say goodbye?

When Arnold approached the Pataki residence, Helga's big sister Olga had told him that her baby sister just left the house saying that she was heading to the Pier to think about things. He never realized all the things that she was going to say to him that night.

_**I need to be bold need to jump in the cold water**_

_**Need to grow older with a girl like you**_

_**Finally see you are naturally the one to make it so easy **_

_**When you show me the truth**_

_**Yeah, I'd rather be with you**_

_**Say you want the same thing too**_

He caught her sitting on the edge of one of the docks, throwing rocks into the river. He hesitated before approaching her.

"Helga?"

She had jumped and turned around to face him. He had noticed her eyes were glistening and not in a good way either. Had she been crying?

"Jesus, Football Head, you scared the crap out of me. How did you find me anyway?"

"Olga said you'd be here."

She turned back to the river, throwing another rock far into the river and watched it make a tiny splash. Before he had a chance to ask why she hadn't shown up at his going-away party, she spoke again.

"I bet you're wondering why I never showed up, huh?"

"Yea."

"Sorry I missed out on everyone being such cry babies about leaving." She threw another rock into the river.

He paused, attempting to choose his words carefully.

"Why didn't you come?"

"I had my reasons, Arnoldo."

"And they would be?"

"Can't you just leave it alone? I'm sorry I didn't show up, okay?"

"Can't you just tell me? You usually tell me when things are bugging you."

"I'm fine Arnold." She sniffled.

"Then why were you crying?"

She paused and turned around.

"I guess I'm gonna miss you, is all. I didn't want to be all mushy in front of everyone."

He looked at her.

"I'm gonna miss you too, Helga. But we can always write each other, right?"

She walked over to him and hugged him.

"Promise you won't forget about me in New York?" He smiled.

"As long as you promise to meet me here as soon as you get home from your first year." She grinned in response.

"I promise, Arnold."

She was coming home soon. Everyone was in the next few days. But there was only one person that he was looking forward to seeing. He had a lot to tell her.

He walked home as the rain continued to fall. As he approached the Sunset Arms, he noticed that it was quiet. A concept that seemed foreign when applied to his household. He opened the door and the animals that lived in his house rushed out behind him. It smelled like apple pie with a mix of paint.

"Grandma…Grandpa?"

"In here, Shortman!"

He walked into the kitchen where his Grandpa was covered head to toe in blue paint while his Grandpa pulled a pie out of the oven. It looked fairly normal, it almost stunned him how normal it was.

"How was your walk Arnold?" his Grandma asked him, cutting into the warm pie.

"It was fine."

"You're soaking wet Shortman. Were you just sitting in the rain?"

"It was just the walk back home, went to the movies." He lied.

"How bout some pie?"

"No thanks Grandma, I think I'm just gonna go to bed." They both frowned.

"Well alright Arnold, good night."

"Goodnight."

He trudged up the stairs and into his room, changing out of his wet clothes and laying on his bed. He closed his eyes.

He didn't expect the dream that he was going to have. It was a memory, a distant one. The top of the FTI building in the 4th grade when he and Gerald were trying to save the neighborhood, the mysterious Deep Voice that had been helping them the entire way, it had turned out to be Helga herself. He had questioned why after everything they had been through, everything that her dad had promised her once they got rich, why was she still helping him. She attempted to lie and he wanted the truth. And so she gave it to him.

She confessed that she was in love with him since the day they had met back in pre-school. Apparently he had liked her bow or something. He couldn't remember that memory very well, but obviously she had.

They had decided it was a heat of the moment thing and never spoke about it again.

Though there had been plenty of incidents after that where he thought that Helga still cared deeply about him. April Fool's Day in the 4th grade, the homecoming dance in 8th grade, senior prom.

_**Now here's the sun come to dry the rain, warm my shoulders and relieve my pain, you're the one thing that I'm missing here**_

Senior prom. He sat up and looked at the prom picture. He remembered he hadn't asked her to prom. She was dating an older guy named Mike Hester who was a sophomore at Hillwood College while he had taken Lila. Lila had dumped him the night of the dance and Helga had been stood up. She had looked beautiful that night. Dressed in the lightest of pink dresses. He never got the chance to tell her how beautiful she had looked that night.

They had decided to dance together, the last time they had done that was in the 4th grade where they tangoed each other into YMAA swimming pool.

She leaned her head onto his shoulder as the music played behind them. And to him, it seemed like they were the only ones in the room. Perfectly happy. He looked into her eyes and watched her smile. He realized how much he had liked seeing her smile.

Senior prom. One of the best nights of his life. It made him miss her even more. But in a different way that he was used to. He just wanted to be beside her.

_**With you beside me I no longer fear**_

He couldn't stop thinking about her. All the sudden thoughts that flooded into his mind.

The way she smiled, her laugh, the way she still had her nicknames for him, her pure drive to succeed despite the odds, the way she balanced his calm nature.

She frustrated him, drove him crazy to no end most of the time. She was also one of the best friends that he ever had.

She was so much more than his friend. She was everything.

_**I could have saved so much time for us had I seen the way to get where I am today**_

He leapt off to his bed to a bulletin board crammed with pictures. Underneath the board sat his yearbook and he opened it to the page where she had written to him. Purple ink, her signature style. They had decided that he wasn't going to read Helga's message until they graduated college. But he needed to read it now. He read it to himself.

Football Head…I mean Arnold

We've been through a lot together ever since we first met. The bow thing, remember? Probably not, but I do. It's one of my favorite memories and now we're graduating high school and leaving for college. Hard to imagine leaving Hillwood like this. Who will terrorize the town in my place?

He laughed at this, remembering the pink bowed terror who had terrorized him in the past.

But there is a lot that I have been holding back from you. It's probably not the best to write in this yearbook about it. I should have just said it to you. But I love you Arnold. I've loved you my entire life, nonstop. I've watched you being with all these different girls and wondered and hoped that one day you'd see that you and I have something that other people don't. It's more than just chemistry, Arnold. It's something that I'm just waiting for you to admit to yourself. But I realize that I can't hold you back. So I'll still be your biggest fan, your support system, your best friend. Because anything you do will make me happy. Because I love you more than anything else in this world.

Helga.

_**You waited on me for so long**_

He closed the book and leaned his head against the wall.

She had been in love with him before. He couldn't deny it. He had tried to avoid it and hoped that she would just get over him.

But she never did.

And now Arnold realized that she had waited for him. After all these years. She had waited for him to see that she was the right person for him. She had waited so long for him and he never responded to her feelings. It was why she was crying the night of his going away party. She had loved him and he was leaving her.

And he realized that he was in love with her and that he needed to tell her. He got dressed quickly and ran out the door towards the Pataki household.

Her father had answered the door and grumbled at him.

"What do you want?"

"Is Helga home?"

"She's upstairs."

He walked to the steps.

"Yo, Olga. There's someone here for you."

"I'm coming Bob. Criminy. And it's Helga Dad. Helga."

"Right, right Helga."

He stumbled back to the living room where wrestling was booming through the television. Helga walked down the stairs and stopped and stared at him. He smiled.

"Arnold? What are you doing here?"

"I hear you were home. Wanna go for a walk?"

"Yea, sure, why not?"

_**So now, listen to me say**_

They had walked to the pier and Arnold stopped in his tracks. Helga turned to him.

"Arnold?"

"I…" He stammered, attempting to find the words he wanted to say to her.

"You okay, Football Head?"

"I…I need to talk to you."

"Okay…about what?"

"I just need you to listen."

_**I need to be bold, need to jump in the cold water**_

"Helga, I read your message in my yearbook. I know that we promised that we wouldn't read them until we graduated college, but I need to read it."

She frowned and scuffed her shoe on the boards under her feet.

"And?" She looked at him with her big beautiful blue eyes.

He smiled.

"I need to tell you the truth."

_**Need to grow older with a girl like you**_

"Helga, I need you in my life, for the rest of my life. I don't know what I'd do without you. I wouldn't be me without someone like you to balance me out."

_**Finally see you are naturally the one to make it so easy when you showed me the truth**_

"You are the kind of girl that makes me happy. I can't stop thinking about you. I couldn't my entire freshman year. No matter what girl came into my view, no one could match up to the relationship that I had with you. I realized the truth about you and me Helga."

_**Yeah I'd rather be with you**_

"I love you Helga. There's no other person I'd rather be with than you."

_**Say you want the same thing too**_

"Just please, please say you still love me. Say that you aren't over me, that you'd want to be with me just as badly as I want to be with you. Please Helga, that's all I want."

She looked back down at the ground and then back up at him. She grinned. Her eyes filling up with tears. The last time she had seen her crying, she was upset about leaving him without admitting the truth to him. And now she didn't have to.

He loved her. It was plain and simple.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear that from you."

He grinned and hugged her tightly. As they pulled away, he couldn't help but kiss her. He didn't want it to be gentle, he wanted to be with her in every single aspect that he could think of.

"I love you Helga G. Pataki." He wiped the tears from her face.

_**Say you feel the way I do**_

"I love you too Arnold."


	2. What Goes Around Comes Around

Thank you, thank you, **thank you** to everyone who has taken the time to read the first song fic that I did. And I'm glad you liked it.

For one of my reviewers, they asked what Arnold had written in his letter to Helga in their senior year yearbook and I honestly hadn't thought about it. It would be interesting to do another little one-shot to explain Helga's side of the story, which would of course, show Arnold's note in Helga's yearbook.._.hmm._.. :)

But as for this second chapter, second song fic, I call this one **"What Goes Around Comes Around."** It's a story of Curly's reaction when Rhonda cheats on him with another man. At this point, this is my second favorite song fiction that I have written and I absolutely love the Curly character I wrote in this.

How bout a disclaimer first? All characters in this story (except for Phillipe) are the creations of** Craig Bartlett** and are owned (sadly) by **Viacom and Nickelodeon**. The song is **"What Goes Around...Comes Around" by Justin Timberlake**. Yet again, I'm not owning any of the songs that are put in my stories.

As I finish writing these, I'm going to put them up here and see the reactions I get. After a couple reviews or after a week or two if I don't hear anything, I'll put another chapter up. So **read and review** if you want to see more sooner!

- Love Always, Kate. -

Oh. Right, the intro. Without any further distractions, **"What Goes Around, Comes Around". Enjoy!  
**

* * *

**What Goes Around Comes Around  
**

**A Curly/Rhonda song fiction  
**

_**Hey girl, is he everything you wanted in a man?**_

_**You know I gave you the world  
You had me in the palm of your hand  
So why your love went away, I just can't seem to understand  
Thought it was me and you babe  
Me and you until the end but I guess I was wrong  
**_

He sat in the living room and stared at the photograph. She had left him for another man and he had no idea whether or not to be angry or upset. He wanted to feel both, just let every emotion out of his system, but he couldn't even shed a tear.

To be honest, he should have seen it coming. This new guy was perfect.

She had been acting really secretive for the past couple months. Spending most of her time in New York spreading her new fashion line and her new perfume line. She had so many lines; he couldn't keep track of them all. She was a successful businesswoman with a keep eye for fashion, that's what made her huge. And what was he? A dry cleaner that only wanted to be in love with every little thing that she did.

This guy was a model. Perfect body, perfect hair, rich, famous. Everything that she had been looking for and everything that he wasn't.

He refused to cry even though there was nothing more that he wanted to do.

_**Don't want to think about it  
Don't want to talk about it  
I'm just so sick about it  
Can't believe it's ending this way  
Just so confused about it  
Feeling the blues about it  
I just can't do without ya  
Tell me is this fair?**_

It was hard to forget about a woman like her. She was feisty, independent and determined. She had been everything that he wanted in his life. Maybe that's the reason he fell for her in the 4th grade at P.S. 118. Of course she attempted to avoid all the advances that he had made on her. And he'll admit that he was a little bit crazy. He was fine now. But it was only because he had her.

It just wasn't fair. He just couldn't understand what was wrong with him. Wrong with their relationship. He had treated her like a queen but she wanted someone else. It was something that he wasn't willing to deal with.

He looked back at the photograph and threw it against the wall until the glass shattered. It was at that point that he couldn't control the emotions that he was feeling. He crawled into a ball on the elegant living room chair and cried, tears streaming down his face.

_**Is this the way it's really going down?  
Is this how we say goodbye?**_

She wasn't planning on telling him. She was going to keep it a secret for as long as she could have and he assumed that. It was supposed to be a secret visit to her apartment. He had got the money for a bus ticket and sat in a bus for 6 hours, just so he could see the happiness on her face as she entered her apartment to find him with a bouquet of roses and a rather expensive box of chocolates. Ready to watch her run into his arms, kiss him passionately and spend the rest of the night in each other's arms.

He remembered entering the apartment, hearing noises from the bedroom and as he had opened it, he heard a scream. He stood emotionless in the doorway as he witnessed another man who had been with his girlfriend intimately. The way that he was supposed to be with his girlfriend. She gasped.

"Curly? I…I can explain…."

He didn't let her. He dropped the roses and the chocolates in the doorway and turned around and walked out the door without saying a word.

He remembered sitting back on the bus, staring out the window. _**  
**_

_**Should've known better when you came around  
That you were gonna make me cry**_

And now he was sitting in their apartment, crying until he felt that he couldn't cry anymore. He never thought that the love of his life would be capable of doing something like this to him.

Sure, he had witnessed the affair between his mother and another man in the 7th grade. It didn't bother him as much when he saw his mother in the arms of another man besides his father. Their relationship had been on the rocks for so long that he almost assumed someone was cheating on someone.

He had witnessed many relationships start and end in his high school career with many of the friends that he had. He never thought that he would feel their pain. The night that she gave him a chance, he was over the moon. He had finally got the love of his life to say yes to a date with him. After that first date, she had decided to stay with him. They dated through college. Now at age 25, Curly finally realizes that love and heartbreak could be a very cruel thing._**  
**_

_**It's breaking my heart to watch you run around  
'Cause I know that you're living a lie**_

He still had no idea why she had gone to him in the first place.

It hadn't been too long ago that she had told her parents that she was desperately in love with him. It was the only way that they had been able to move into another extravagantly expensive apartment in Upper Hillwood, all paid for by her parents of course. Anything that she wanted, she got. And at one point, it was he. Thaddeus Curly Gammelthorpe. He had been the one thing that a woman as strong headed as Rhonda Wellington Lloyd wanted.

She had been called Princess all her life. She acted like one, he treated her like one. And then she leaves him for a pretty boy with an accent and nice abs.

He slumped further into the couch and watched the rain sliding down the windowpane.

_**That's okay baby 'cause in time you will find...  
What goes around, goes around, goes around  
Comes all the way back around**_

_**Now girl, I remember everything that you claimed**_

She had called him the next day, he remembered. After spending the night sobbing into his bed, attempted to be comforted by two people that he trusted to get him out of this mess. Arnold and Helga. A couple that had been together since the 7th grade, but still acted like they were the best of friends. And they were Curly's best friends. Well at least Helga was. Arnold came along for the ride, and he did always have that "positive outlook on life" thing going on.

Rhonda had told him the truth. That she fell in love with a man named Philippe ever since she brought her clothing line to New York. They had met during a photo shoot and their chemistry instantly clicked. He was passionate, sexy, and interesting. She was getting tired of the same old things back in Hillwood and wanted an exciting life.

_**You said that you were moving on now and maybe I should do the same**_

She had told him to move on from her. She had done him wrong and that she was incredibly sorry. But he remembered the last thing she had said to him before hanging up the phone.

"I'm living out here now Curly, I'm starting over. I think you should do the same. It's better for the both of us."

She had instantly hung up the phone before he had a chance to speak. He moved over to his dresser and looked at the small box._**  
**_

_**Funny thing about that is I was ready to give you my name**_

Of course he had been planning on finally proposing to her. He had promised that he would get the best ring imaginable for her. But it's not easy for a dry cleaning man to make the kind of money for the ring that his girlfriend was looking for. He had spent months doing extra side jobs along with running the dry cleaners to buy this ring.

_**Thought it was me and you, babe and now, it's all just a shame and I guess I was wrong  
**_

And now it was just all wrong. He got up from his chair and sat at the grand piano across the room, playing a simple but sad tune into the keys of the piano. The music haunted the house as Curly played the song of his heart. A sorrowful, desperate tune of misunderstanding and heartbreak.

The phone rang again. He looked at the caller id. It was her. He hesitated but decided to answer the phone._**  
**_

_**What goes around, goes around, goes around  
Comes all the way back around**_

"Hello."

"Curly? It's Rhonda. I need to talk to you."

_**Let me paint this picture for you, baby**_

_**You spend your nights alone and he never comes home  
**_

"About what."

"It's about Philippe. I haven't seen him in two weeks. It's lonely without him."

"Then call him. Why are you calling me?"

He didn't realize how harsh he had been. But she deserved it.

_**And every time you call him all you get's a busy tone**_

"I can never get him to answer, it's always busy."

"He's a model, Rhonda. What do you expect? He's swamped with work probably."

"That's the thing. I think he's ignoring me."

"Why? Didn't you treat him perfectly?" He seethed._**  
**_

_**I heard you found out that he's doing to you what you did to me**_

"Actually, I caught him. With another woman."

He froze._**  
**_

_**Ain't that the way it goes  
**_

_What karma_. He laughed to himself before responding.

"Did you now?"

"Two days ago. I don't know what to do."

_**When you cheated girl, my heart bleeded girl**_

"You wanna know what I did when you left me?"

He heard her sniffle on the other end; she knew exactly what she had done.

"When I found you in the arms of another man, Rhonda, I didn't have enough emotions to express what I went through."

_**So it goes without saying that you left me feeling hurt  
**_

"I guess it goes without saying how hurt I was."

She sobbed softly and for a few moments, he almost felt bad for her. Almost.

_**Just a classic case, a scenario, Tale as old as time  
Girl you got what you deserved**_

"It's called karma, Rhonda. You cheated me, so life cheated you."

_**And now you want somebody to cure the lonely nights**_

_**You wish you had somebody that could come and make it right  
But girl I ain't somebody with a lot of sympathy You'll see  
**_

She sobbed even harder.

"I miss you so much Curly. I just don't want to be alone anymore."

"You miss me?"

"I don't just miss you, I love you, more than anything in this world. I know what I did was wrong and I know you won't be so forgiving for a while."

She sniffled.

"But I will be such a better person to you. Enough of me being the princess, it's time you were treated right by me. Baby. Please. Give me another chance."

He had no idea how to respond. She had finally offered to change from the person that she used to be. Not that he had ever minded treated Rhonda like a princess. But enough was enough._**  
**_

_**See? You should've listened to me, baby**_

"Listen Rhonda. It sounds like you're willing to make it work for us..."

"Oh Curly! Thank you!"

"Wait, I'm not done."

She stopped.

"I think we should see other people...You see... I'm not good with cheaters."

"You're…you're serious?" She hiccuped.

"Karma is just horrible, isn't it? Just remember this the next time you decide to break a person's heart, Miss Rhonda Wellington Lloyd..."

_**Because what goes around comes back around  
**_

"What goes around…comes around."

He hung up the phone and never looked back.


	3. Pieces

Why hello there! It's Chapter 3 time! :D

**Disclaimer:** All characters are owned by **Craig Bartlett, Nickelodeon and Viacom.** As per usual. *shakes fists into sky* The song is owned by the band **Red**.

So this song fic is called **Pieces**. Based on the song **Pieces by Red**. It's an excellent song by an excellent band. If you have the chance, go look it up on YouTube.

But I thought I'd give people an update of when I'm planning to publish my chapters:

**Chapter 4 of Songs of Hillwood will be up (hopefully) by next Tuesday. Every Tuesday I hope to have a new chapter up.**

**I Will Not Blow the Cold Away will be updated hopefully by the weekend. I'm almost halfway through it so I'm hoping Saturday at the earliest and Monday at the latest. Another note with that...this short story is only three chapters long! So it will end probably next week sometime. :\**

As for this chapter, it is Arnold and Helga based. I promise I will write more Rhonda and Curly stuff soon since everyone seemed to like last chapter so much. Can you believe that that one is not my favorite one that I have written? It's actually the one that will be up next week. So look forward to next week! :D But it was my second favorite one. So...

This one. It's not as deep as the other one has or as long. Considering that I kinda rushed this one. I couldn't get all the ideas that I wanted with this one. So hopefully next week's will make up for it. But I hope you enjoy it anyway!**  
**

Ps: If you have any ideas of what you want my next short story or song fic to be about, send me a message or tell me in the review and I'll definitely look it over.**  
**

-Love Always, Kate-

* * *

**Pieces**

_**I'm here again, a thousand miles away from you**_

Sitting on a plane back to Hillwood was one of the last things that Helga. G Pataki wanted to do right now. Sure, San Lorenzo had been nothing but chaos and danger as they had taken a class trip to the beautiful country; it had turned into a search and rescue mission to find Arnold's parents. She leaned back in the seat and turned to see Phoebe curled into Gerald's shoulder. Gerald looked just about as lonely as she had. From a completely different reason, but when you lose your best friend, it's something that hits you hard; she couldn't imagine losing Phoebe like that.

As the plane flew closer and closer to the United States, she realized how far away he would actually be. He had decided to stay; it was his parents after all. He needed them back in his life and wanted to spend as much time with them as he could now that he had them. She remembered the look on his face when he had seen them again for the first time in nine years. The way he had been holding her hand and gripped it tightly in anticipation. He had turned to her and grinned like an idiot while she watched tears of joy slowly flooding into his eyes. She had remembered smiling then too.

She pulled the locket out of her dress and stared at the picture. Her heart instantly started to sink deeper into her stomach. None of her classmates would ever realize the moment that she had with Arnold before they had left, maybe Gerald a little, but not the whole thing. She wasn't even planning to tell Phoebe about it, at least not yet._**  
**_

_**A broken mess, just scattered pieces of who I am**_

She was beginning to realize that most of her being was built on Arnold being there to spin her negativity into something positive. She was broken. Her reputation, her ability to bully people…she had done it all to hide her problems. Her home life, her feelings for Arnold, her emotions, everything was gone. And she didn't know whether or not to wallow in sadness for the rest of her life or to move on. It wasn't a decision that she was looking forward to making._**  
**_

_**I tried so hard  
**_

Forgetting about Arnold and everything that she felt for him would easily be one of the most difficult moments in her life.

_**Thought I could do this on my own  
I've lost so much along the way**_

There was no way she would ever be able to get over him on her own. She knew that for sure. She could go through hours upon hours of therapy with Dr. Bliss until she finally got the sense to leave Hillwood when she turned 21, but it would never go away.

Especially after their talk in the jungle. She closed her eyes quickly and tried to replay their last words over and over again in her head.

_**Then I see your face**_  
_**I know I'm finally yours**_  
_**I find everything I thought I lost before**_  
_**You call my name**_  
_**I come to you in pieces**_  
_**So you can make me whole**_

The rest of the kids in her class were crowded around Gerald, attempting to learn about the dangers that he and Arnold had faced in the jungle in the search for Arnold's parents. Every eye had been on Gerald as he stepped onto a fallen tree and acted out the story. Phoebe sat beside him and stared up at him in wonder as well as the rest of the class.

Arnold and his parents sat off to the side. His father's arm around his mother's shoulder. His mother having his arms curled around Arnold. He had the biggest smile on his face and they all sat to listen to Gerald's story. His parents had stared at each other, spoke in whispers and kissed her each other as Arnold sat in between them.

As for her, she sat on the edge of a cliff. She was mesmerized by the view, the sunset on the trees, birds flying into the sun. It certainly was beautiful. She sighed happily as she felt something brush against her shoulder. She gasped and turned, thinking it had been some kind of animal, but it had been Arnold.

"Hi Helga…." He stammered.

"Hi."

"Can I…" He made a motion towards sitting beside her, she nodded.

"Arnold…I… about earlier…"

He kissed her cheek as she felt her cheeks getting a dark shade of red.

"I meant what I said. About having feelings for you. You know that right?"

"I…I guess I'm still in shock."

He laughed.

"This whole trip has kind of been a whole shock to me."

"How are your parents?"

"Good. Really good actually," She smiled. "I…I think I'm gonna stay here with them."

She froze. He must have seen the tears starting to form in her eyes because he raised his hand up to her face and brushed her cheek.

"You're not…not…" She barely managed to get the words out before she felt tears down her face.

"I'm not. At least not with you guys. Maybe soon. The Green Eyes still need my parents."

She put her head on his shoulder.

"I understand. It's just…I'm going to miss you so much, Foot…I mean, Arnold." He smiled again.

"Old habits die hard, huh?"

"Yea, I guess."

"I'm gonna miss you too Helga. But we can write each other, right?"

"Right."

He hugged her and kept hugging her as they had stared back into the sunset.

_**I've come undone  
**_

When she opened her eyes, she noticed that she had been crying. She furiously rubbed her eyes to get rid of any evidence as Mr. Simmons calmly addressed her classmates about safely getting off the plane. They had landed back in the U.S and there was no way of going back to San Lorenzo. No way of going back to get him and bringing him back home. The reality was finally sinking in. There was no more Arnold, only through the letters that they would be writing back and forth to each other. She grabbed her bag and followed the rest of her class out of the plane.

She remembered the car ride with Phoebe and her parents being quiet on her end. She managed to say a few words to keep up appearances with Phoebe's parents. Phoebe had stared sadly at her friend as she attempted to answer questions about their trip without managing to tear up again. As the car pulled up to her house, she didn't want to go in. She already knew that it would be the same as when she left it. Broken and lonely. Miriam would be making smoothies in the kitchen, Big Bob would be in front of the television watching sports, neither one of them would ask how her trip went or even remember that Helga had been on one. She sighed and opened the front door and trudged up the stairs into her bedroom.

_**But you make sense of who I am**_

_**Like puzzle pieces in your hand**_

She opened her closet to see the shrine still present, starting to rot actually. She threw all the stuff out the window and into the garbage dumpster below her window. The only thing she kept was the locket with his picture and a book of poems that she had written about him. She locked the book away in a cabinet by her bed and stared into the face in the locket. She openly cried and leapt onto her bed, attempting to cry into her pillows.

_**I tried so hard! So hard!  
**_

It hadn't even been a whole day since she left him and she was a mess. No matter what she tried to do, she was going to cry. She had never cried this much before in her life. She had no idea what to do. She thought of calling Dr. Bliss and venting everything to her in therapy. She thought about asking Phoebe for advice. She had even thought about writing a letter to Olga and asking her what to do. At this point, she desperately needed some help, for anyone to get her out of this.

She heard the doorbell ring and loud footsteps approaching the door. It was probably somebody complaining about their beeper and had managed to get a hold of their house address to talk to them. Or a neighbor asking them again to turn down the volume on their TV and that they could hear it from their house.

"Olga! There's someone here for you."

Phoebe must have been here to check up on her. She didn't feel like talking to anybody, even her best friend.

"OLGA!" her father bellowed.

"Criminy Bob. I hear you!" She screamed in response.

She walked over to the mirror, rubbing the tears away and attempting to fix herself before she walked down the stairs.

"Look Pheebs, I'll be fine. I just need something to get him out…of…"

It wasn't Phoebe sitting at the bottom of the steps looking up at her, but a pair of familiar emerald green eyes. The eyes that she had been in love with since the first day she looked into them._**  
**_

_**Then I see your face  
**_

"Arnold."

_**I know I'm finally yours  
I find everything I thought I lost before**_

He smiled at her.

"I thought you were in…" He shook his head.

"My parents realized that I never got on the plane. I was supposed to go back with you guys according to them. But I never got on. They realized that I wouldn't leave unless they came with me. So they packed up their stuff and we came home. We were only a few hours behind you guys."

She didn't care how he got there. It only mattered that he was there. In her house. Looking for her. Because he wanted to be with her.

"Also, I missed you too much." He smiled again.

She felt her knees slip from underneath her. She ran down the rest of the steps and into his arms.

_**You call my name  
I come to you in pieces**_

"Helga?"

She didn't want to let go. She was finally in the arms of the boy that she loved. And he was staying. For good. She felt herself start to cry again as she rubbed her eyes, annoyed with her emotions. He brushed the tears away as he looked into her eyes.

"I'm right here. Shh. I'm not leaving you. I promise."

She smiled.

"Thank you…"

"For what?"

"…For never losing hope in me, for always seeing the good in me, for you just being you, for you coming home and being with me."

"Thank you for being the thing that brought me back home, Helga."

She sat in his arms in the middle of the hallway, not caring who saw her or what kind of state she was in. She was just glad that he was there.

_**So you can make me whole  
**_


	4. Never Knew I Needed

**Whoo Chapter 4! :D**

And this story is my absolute favorite, just because Arnold is simply adorable in this. Turns out I write better sad and depressing stuff than I do cute and adorable...but hey. This is an awesome song fic.

The song is called **Never Knew I Needed by Ne-Yo** and it's actually from the Princess and the Frog. (You know, the song in the end credits? That's this song.) And I actually thought I'd struggle with this one since the format is completely different that what I'm used to. Instead of writing around the song lyrics, I cheated and made it a talent show. xD

But yes, I have updated now because I wasn't gonna be able to update the rest of the day. So I hope you enjoy Chapter 4 of Songs of Hillwood. :D**  
**

**Disclaimer: None of this I own. Characters and song wise. Or the movie Princess in the Frog. Cause it's mentioned in here.  
**

* * *

**Never Knew I Needed**

**Arnold/Helga**

"You sure you want to go with this Arnold?"

"Yea, of course, we've done plenty of talent shows before."

"But we haven't done any that involves prizes, or winning, or being in front of our entire high school class. I'm not even that good at piano anymore."

"I heard you play yesterday, you were good. Come on, I need this!"

"The win? Or is there something else you had in mind."

He blushed.

"It's for a girl, isn't it Arnold?"

"Well…yea… but not just any normal girl."

"Who? Is it that blond girl from our biology class with the braces? What about that varsity softball captain? The punk girl who sits with you in Math with the weird bands around her wrist and the red and black hair?"

"It isn't any of them. But she's in our biology and Math class and plays softball, if that helps any."

Gerald searched his brain for this "dream girl" of his best friend.

"Can't think of a single girl. But alright man, I'll help you out."

"Thanks Gerald."

"Whatever you say, man."

"A talent show? What are we, in the 8th grade?"

"Helga, a talent show is a perfect opportunity for students to demonstrate their unique abilities. Maybe you should enter."

"Me? Enter the school talent show? You're kidding me right?"

"Oh...um…sure Helga. Just kidding. But you do know you have a very nice singing voice, in case you change your mind."

"Nope. Not changing it. Wouldn't be caught dead on that stage."

"But you were in the play last semester."

"Different situations. I'm an actress and a writer, Pheebs. Not some goody-goody who is going to make a fool out of themselves twirling plates or singing their guts out."

The two girls walked down the hallway and stopped in front a locker. Helga quickly spun the numbers around and opened it, shoving her textbooks into her locker and grabbing her notebook.

"Come on Pheebs, it's almost lunchtime and I'm starved!"

"Coming!"

"Oh look, it's Tall Hair Boy and the Football Head."

"Helga, might I remind you that Gerald and I are dating."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember. Could have someone with better taste in clothes though."

Phoebe looked down at the ground.

"Phoebe, I'm kidding! You know I'm a supporter of you and Hair Boy, huge supporter. I promise."

She stuck her pinky finger out to her best friend. They interlocked fingers quickly and continued into the lunchroom.

"So I guess we're sitting with them?"

"If you don't mind, Helga."

"Eh, whatever I guess. Let's just go and get this over with."

"Going!" She chirped happily.

Gerald watched his girlfriend and her best friend cross the lunchroom and head in their direction. Arnold moved his fork around his mashed potatoes.

"Hey Arnold, you gonna be okay with Helga. G. Pataki eating lunch with us?"

Arnold looked up at him and nodded.

"Ladies." Gerald winked. Phoebe blushed and Helga rolled her eyes.

"Hi Gerald." She kissed his cheek.

"Hair Boy."

"Pataki."

"So babe, Arnold and I are entering the talent show."

Helga looked up at Arnold, who was still maneuvering his fork around his food.

"Is that right, Football Head?"

"Yea, that's right."

"What are you and Arnold going to be doing?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, I'm gonna play the piano and Arnold is going to sing. Says he has a special girl he wants to sing it too, but won't tell me who."

"Has he given you any hints?" Helga asked quickly.

Phoebe and Gerald stared at her. It was Helga's turn to play in her food as she tried to hide her blush.

"He said it's some girl in our Biology and Math class. She also plays softball."

"Hmm…what about a song?"

"Don't know yet. Arnold is picking it."

"Do you have any idea, Arnold?"

He paused, looking at Phoebe, to Helga, to Gerald and then back to Helga before adding,

"Not yet."

Two weeks had gone by and Arnold and Gerald's big performance was tonight. Gerald still had no idea what girl he was planning to sing to, but all Arnold said was that he made sure that she was going to be in the audience tonight to hear it. All he had to do was search the crowd before he sang his big lyric. Gerald nodded and warmed his hands up on the piano.

Meanwhile, Phoebe had been desperately trying to get Helga to go with her to the talent show.

"Helga, please? We can stay up until Arnold and Gerald are done performing and then we can leave. I promise."

"I wouldn't be caught dead going to some lame talent show in high school." She spit outside her window.

"Please Helga? It would mean so much to me. And Gerald, and Arnold."

"Ar…Arnold?" She stammered.

Phoebe nodded. Helga sighed.

"Alright fine Pheebs. You win, I'll go."

Phoebe squealed and hugged her best friend tight.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you Helga."

"Okay, okay I get it, you're thanking me. Let's just go, okay?"

"Going!"

After a good hour sitting in the auditorium of Hillwood High School, Helga had had just about enough of her fellow classmate's "talents". One girl tried to spin plates, another girl danced to a weird song, two guys burped the star spangled banner. There were singers, dancers, comedians and jugglers and she was getting bored with it all.

"Pheebs, I'm gonna go get a soda."

"Wait, Helga! Arnold and Gerald are up next."

"Ugh. Fine, but then we leave after this."

"Deal."

Arnold was pacing around backstage while Gerald sat on top of the piano.

"Calm down man. We've got this. With your pipes and my piano, the talent show is in the bag."

"I'm not worried about that."

"Then it's the girl you're worried about. You think she's not gonna be here."

"No, I know she's here. I saw her walking in."

"Then what is it?"

"What if she hates the song? What if she walks out in the middle of the performance before I do my big lyric? What if I mess up the big lyric? What if…"

"ARNOLD! My man, relax. You'll knock her and this whole audience dead."

"You think so?"

"I know so. Now let's do this."

"And now ladies and gentlemen, our next act is Gerald Johanssen and Arnold…there seems to be a smudge over this last name… Oh, well then, Gerald and Arnold everyone!"

As the audience clapped, Arnold felt a knot get tied up in her stomach. She was there all right, and he only had one chance to get this right or he'd never be able to show his face to her again. He looked over at Gerald who started to play.

_**For the way you changed my plans  
For being the perfect distraction  
For the way you took the idea that I have of everything that I wanted to have  
And made me see there was something missing  
**_

Helga had forgotten that Arnold could sing. Sing well, as a matter of fact. She silently swooned as Phoebe smiled.

She looked further up in the seats and noticed Lila Sawyer a couple rows ahead of them. She hissed softly and sunk down a little bit in her seat.

_Great. He's singing a love song to Lila. How…perfect._

_**For the ending of my first begin  
And for the rare and unexpected friend  
For the way you're something that I'd never choose but at the same time, something I don't wanna lose  
And never wanna be without ever again**_

Phoebe looked at Helga who had been watching in pure bliss when she realized the words that Arnold was singing.

_Something he'd never choose…well it has to be a girl that he doesn't necessarily like… but Arnold likes everyone… but…maybe…_

_Well Gerald said that this girl was in their Biology and Math class. And that she also played softball. Hmm…a girl he might not necessarily have liked, I guess at first from the song…softball…biology…math…all those things add up to…_

She looked back at her best friend and back to the stage where she attempted to follow Arnold's line of vision. She gasped quietly.

"You okay, Pheebs?"

"Yeah. Perfectly fine."

In fact, she was more than fine. She was ecstatic.

_**You're the best thing I never knew I needed  
So when you were here I had no idea  
You the best thing I never knew I needed  
So now it's so clear, I need you here always  
**_

Gerald quickly scanned the audience for his girlfriend who looked at him and pointed to Helga. He looked at Helga's face that seemed to look…different in his opinion. As for Arnold, he was looking in their direction, so his girl had to be sitting around Phoebe. Whoever it was, she better appreciate this song._**  
**_

_**My accidental happily ever after  
The way you smile and how you comfort me with your laughter  
I must admit you were not a part of my book but now if you open it up and take a look  
You're the beginning and the end of every chapter  
**_

Phoebe then managed to get Gerald's attention again. He looked at her, winked and just as he was about to turn back to the piano. She mouthed the words, "The Girl" and pointed to Helga again. He looked back at Arnold, looked at Helga, back to Arnold and then to Phoebe.

_Well that was unexpected.**  
**_

Arnold got up from the stool that he had been sitting on and walked down the stage steps slowly singing the next few words slower than normally.

_**Who knew that I could be  
So unexpectedly, undeniably happier  
**_

_Well. This is it. _

Helga watched Arnold walk around the auditorium as the lights followed him. Was it her or was he getting closer to her? She shrugged it off until he appeared right next to her.

_**Sitting with you right here, right here next to me  
Girl, you're the best**_

She froze.

_This was not happening._

_**You're the best thing I never knew I needed  
So when you were here I had no idea  
You're the best thing I never knew I needed  
So now it's so clear I need you here always**_

Arnold sang the rest of the song looking directly into her eyes. She looked almost frozen in fear, not knowing what to do or how to react. She just sat there, it got Arnold a little worried but he kept singing.

Phoebe was sitting behind Helga with a huge grin plastered on her face. _It's about time those two addressed their feelings for each other._

Gerald shook his head. _How did he miss that?_

Helga sat in complete and utter shock. _He's singing to me. He's BEEN singing to me, about me. About us. He…he… wants us to be together!_ Her outside remained the same as she felt her insides completely melting.

_**Now it's so clear, I need you here always **_

He ended the last note holding Helga's hand. She was still frozen as Gerald hit the last note. The entire audience burst into applause. Several people stood up and whistled. Arnold had still not let go of Helga's hand. He just watched her face to see if he'd get any reaction before he'd have to go backstage.

Helga realized that she was still looking at him in complete shock. Come on Helga! React or something! Helga felt a smile and a blush creep onto her face. Arnold breathed a sigh of relief as he quickly kissed the top of her hand and ran backstage. Arnold's heart was full of pride for finally getting the song out but full of excitement just because of one smile that Helga had given him. She liked the song and that's all that mattered to him.

After the show had ended, Helga waited in the hallway for Arnold to leave while she watched Gerald and Phoebe out of the corner of her eye.

"Helga?"

She turned to see Arnold, still in his suit behind her.

"Hey Football Head."

"So, how about that guy singing that song to that random girl in the audience, huh? What was he thinking?"

"I don't know, a bonehead move on his part."

He smirked and walked towards her.

"Yeah, who would straight out embarrass themselves like that?"

"I mean he did get a lot of Aww's out of it. I think it was a stunt to attempt to get the first place ribbon."

"For your information, it was a stunt for the second place ribbon. I would have kissed you if I wanted first."

She laughed and moved closer.

"They must have liked you then. Gave you first anyway."

"We almost lost to a guy playing a harmonica with a tap dancing chicken."

"I'll admit, that chicken is incredibly talented."

"I would have graciously lost to that chicken."

She paused, looking straight into his eyes.

"So that stunt, did you really…" He smiled.

"I did. That song was meant for you. Didn't you recognize it?"

She shook her head.

"The night we spied on Phoebe and Gerald's first date. They went to see…"

"…The Princess and the Frog…wow. Arnold-o, that date was almost 3 years ago."

"That's when I knew."

"Knew what?"

"That you were the best thing I never knew I needed." He grinned.

"Arnold, you big dork." She laughed.

He grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly.

"Wanna go meet my fans?"

"If they try flirting with you, they'll have to answer to Ol' Betsy, because the Five Avengers is a little busy at the moment." She brought their hands up to eye level.

"Whatever you say, Helga."


	5. More than A Love Song

**Chapter 5 is up!  
**

As for the long-awaited Chapter 3 of I Will Blow the Cold Away...well...let's just say I'm getting there. It's a combination of work, babysitting, Supernatural watching and writer's block that is keeping this chapter from being written. Procrastination queen, at your service.

But this one, sorry to disappoint is relatively short. Considering I've been mostly attempting to write Chapter 3 of IWBCA. But I promise that Chapter 3 will be super long and super awesome. (I'm already 5,000 words in and not 75% percent done! It's 14 pages long so far!)

But I didn't want to keep people without a story for this week. So I wrote this really quickly. So I'm hoping you like it even if it is rather short.

The song I used is called **"More than a Love Song" by the band Fireflight. **And I put it's Arnold/Helga AND Phoebe. But not for the reasons you might think!

And as disclaimers go, I don't own the song or the characters, yadda yadda yadda.

**Enjoy!  
**

* * *

**More than a Love Song**

**Arnold/Helga/Phoebe**

Arnold shook the water out of his hair as he walked away from his tormentor, who was smirking at him as she turned the corner. He really had no idea why she hated him so much. _Was it because he was the nice guy?_ He had thought that everyone had at least liked him. He sighed.

He heard a small voice humming from further down the road as he curiously walked towards the sound. As he attempted to spot where the voice was coming from, he felt a tap of his shoulder.

"Arnold?"

"Oh, hi Phoebe."

"Arnold, why are you all wet?"

He grumbled.

"Oh. Helga." He nodded.

"I just don't get it. She is constantly picking on me. I have no idea why."

"Well…Helga is just…"

"She's just what…rude, obnoxious, mean?"

"…Afraid."

_**Look into her eyes, you can see she's crying out  
She hides behind her smile, you can see the pain of doubt**_

He turned to her as she sat on her front step. She motioned for him to sit.

"Helga, she has a completely different way of showing her emotions."

"What, through cruelty?"

"It's the only way that she knows how to communicate with someone. Her parents aren't much help. She uses her aggression…as…well, as a mask of some sorts."

_**And if you would hold her close, you could feel the brokenness inside**_

_**You would know she feels alone  
She feels empty**_

"Helga is the last person I'd imagine with a mask on."

"Everyone hides something about themselves, Arnold. Helga just hides a lot more. She feels completely alone. Except for me. Like no one really understands her."

"There's not much to understand, she's a bully."

"But aren't bullies bullying others usually to cover their own insecurities?"

Arnold looked to the ground as scuffed the edge of the curb with his shoe.

"I guess."

_**Listen to her now, broken is a beautiful sound**_

_**She's a little scared  
She's afraid of falling further down**_

"She's been crying a lot more lately..."

He looked at her, confused.

"Is there really a lot going on?"

"Yea."

_**But maybe if you let her know and gave her just a little hope  
Somehow if she knew the truth  
She'd come alive**_

Arnold frowned. He had no idea that Helga could have been going through so much. He knew that her father and mother weren't the most supportive people in the world, but he had no idea that it that bad.

"All she wants is someone to take the time to care about her, someone to tell her that she isn't alone. She'd feel a lot better about herself and opening up to people."

"So if she knew that people cared about her, she'd stop being a bully."

"Well…not right away, it'll take some time I think. But she'll open up eventually."

Arnold smiled.

"Then that's exactly what I'm going to do."

_**In the end we will learn actions speak louder then our words**_

The next day Arnold had set out to the playground to look face to face with the schoolyard bully. That day, she had been keen on making fun of Stinky's obsession with lemon pudding. She put on a fake and thick southern accent and laughed. Arnold cringed but then walked up to her.

"Hi Helga." She turned.

"What do you want, Football Head? I'm busy here."

Arnold thought about what he wanted to say to her, just to let her know that he would be there if she ever wanted to talk. But he realized that doing something was a lot better than saying it.

_**She needs more than a hug on a holiday**_

_**She needs more than a smile on a Sunday**_

He had hugged her. She froze. As he let go of her, he found the words to say.

_**She's not looking for you to fix what's wrong**_

_**She really wants to know, really wants to know she belongs  
She needs more than a love song **_

"I wish you didn't have to hide who you were anymore." He squeaked, afraid of her reaction.

She looked at him confused.

"What are you talking about Arnold-o? I am who I am. I'm Helga. G. Pataki. And nothing is gonna stop that."

He sighed but kept a small smile on his face.

"Whatever you say, Helga."

It was that day that Arnold realized how to deal with his schoolyard bully. Make her feel important, even if she didn't feel like she was. He never noticed as he walked away from her that Helga had been smiling.


	6. Give Me Just One Night

**Chapter 6!  
**

****I'm gonna leave a rather short message just because of the thing I posted last night. I don't own these characters or the song, blah blah blah, disclaimers.

The song is called **"Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)" by 98 Degrees**. (oh those 90's boy band days... xD)

Hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Give Me Just One Night**

**Arnold/Helga**

"This was a horrible idea. Telling Arnold to ask Helga to the April Fool's Dance."

"You never know Gerald, something completely unexpected could happen…"

"Unexpected? It's going to be exactly the same. Helga and Arnold argue with each other throughout the entire dance, even though they aren't going with each other. You don't remember junior prom, or last year's homecoming, or…"

"I get it, I get it. But I feel like something is different tonight. It's one of the last dances of our high school careers."

"If something unexpected happens, I owe you a dinner at Chez Pierre."

"Make it Chez Paris and you have a deal."

They shook hands and Gerald kissed it quickly as Phoebe blushed. They proceeded to walk into the high school gym together.

As Gerald didn't realize, Phoebe had been watching the two blondes closely that night and noticed that something was different between them. When Helga and her came down the stairs to get picked up for the dance, she had watched the reaction of not only her date, but Arnold as well. She wasn't surprised of the reaction that Gerald had given her. After three years of dating, he still thought she was beautiful. She remembered blushing at that moment but then looked at Arnold who had been completely stunned by Helga's appearance. Sure it wasn't something that Helga would typically go out in, a tight black dress and red heels but Phoebe had to admit, Helga looked amazing. And Arnold thought so too, maybe they wouldn't be fighting all night.

Or so she thought.

Gerald laughed. They weren't even ten feet into the gym before Helga and Arnold started to argue with each other. Phoebe sighed.

"Aww babe, don't look so upset."

"I'm not. It's only one fight. The night can still go well."

"If you say so." He kissed her forehead and laughed again as Arnold and Helga argued in the background.

Halfway through the night, it seemed like Helga and Arnold weren't going to stop arguing and Phoebe seemed to get more and more depressed with every passing moment. While the rest of their friends were happily dancing the night away, Gerald and Phoebe had been attempting to settle the multiple feuds between the two of them. As he watched his girlfriend's emotions drop further and further down into sadness, he looked around the room to the couples that were slow dancing around the gym. For once, he just wanted a slow dance with Phoebe where he didn't have to watch after Arnold and Helga out of the corner of his eye. He looked over to the DJ booth and thought a moment before grinning.

He pulled Phoebe aside and whispered into her ear and she grinned.

"That sounds perfect."

Arnold sat down on the bench near the edge of the dance floor as he watched all the other couples take the floor for a slow dance. He grumbled as he watched Helga appear from the crowd with an angry expression on her face. He had no idea why he kept getting into these arguments every time that they were in a dance together. He had to admit though, she looked amazing. Who could blame any teenage boy for not going after Helga? Sure she had changed a lot since they had first met, but her attitude hadn't changed and it was driving him insane.

"What are you doing Football Head?"

"Just sitting here."

"Well aren't you going to dance?"

"I didn't figure you wanted to, you've been yelling at me all night."

"You've been on my nerves all night."

"What have I done besides stand here and take all of this?"

Helga paused and frowned. Arnold stared at her, waiting for her answer before the DJ spoke up.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, by a special request, will a Miss Helga Pataki and Mr. Arnold…what did you write man…Well…Will Arnold and Helga come to the center of the dance floor please?"

Arnold watched Helga turn a bright red as she walked forward. Arnold trailed behind her. He looked at the rest of his classmates as he felt their stares on him. He felt his face grow hotter under the lights.

"According to a friend of yours, the last time there was a April Fools' Dance, we had an…interesting tango going on. So before the school year ends and you both graduate, I think your fellow classmates would like one more tango. What do you say Hillwood High? You wanna see these kids dance?"

A large uproar followed by multiple giggles and clapping gave the DJ his answer as Arnold looked over at Helga, who was attempting not to kill everyone in this room. Arnold battled with himself before approaching Helga and extending his hand.

"Feel like embarrassing ourselves?" He smiled.

Helga looked at him and watched the small smile that was forming on his face. She felt her face form a smile in response.

"Might as well go out of here with a bang."

Arnold grabbed her hand as the music started to play. Helga cringed. She knew this song well. She remembered growing up to it and dancing with Phoebe in her room, pretending to tango with a mysterious stranger. She looked over at Phoebe who listened to the song and giggled. Helga rolled her eyes back. It was at that moment, she caught Gerald standing by the DJ booth and felt her anger boil. Gerald had planned this? What for? She felt a hand on her hip and pulled slightly back.

"You don't have to do this, if you don't want."

"I'm fine. Just haven't danced like this since…since…"

He smiled again. Helga felt her insides melt.

"I know. Let's just dance."

_**Lips keep telling me you want me**_

_**Hold me close all through the night**_

_**And I know deep inside you need me**_

_**No one else can make it right**_

Phoebe looked at the two blondes tangoing through the giant circle that the rest of their classmates had left them. She looked throughout the room and notice Gerald at the end of the DJ booth. She looked at him in confusion as he turned to notice her. He winked and she felt a blush rising to her cheeks.

Meanwhile. Helga looked manically around the room as she was being spun and pulled back into Arnold's arms. She looked up at him and thought she saw his eyes twinkle suddenly. She had decided to give in and just keep dancing.

_**Don't you try to hide your secrets, I can see it in your eyes**_

_**You said the words without speaking**_

_**Now I'm gonna make you mine**_

Gerald looked at his best friend and his sworn enemy on the dance floor. He didn't regret anything that he did.

_**Give me just one night, una noche**_

_**A moment to be your side,**_

_**Give me just one night, una noche**_

_**I'll give you the time of your life**_

_**Your eyes of passion make me crazy**_

_**Your existence makes me wild**_

_**I wanna loosen up your feelings**_

_**See what's hiding inside**_

"You're being a little rough there, Football Head."

Arnold broke out his trance and looked into her eyes. They were full of worry, but also full of something that Arnold hadn't imagined he would ever see in her eyes, passion. He literally drove her crazy, but she was something that he just couldn't seem to get rid of. Maybe he didn't want to. He wanted to know what Helga was thinking of, what she wanted in life, what she dreamed and what she feared. He wanted to know how she felt, especially about him. It was about time they had gotten all these things figured out.

"Don't worry, my friend. You're in good hands." He winked.

_**Just give me just one night, una noche**_

_**A moment to be by your side**_

_**Give me just one night, una noche**_

_**I'll give you the time of your life**_

_**The time of your life**_

As the song ended, Arnold let go of Helga but neither of them took their eyes off each other. The entire audience clapped and whistled in approval as the music continued and kids started to flood back into the open spaces and began to dance again. Phoebe walked over to Gerald as they watched Arnold and Helga leave the dance floor and sit on opposite sides of the gym.

"I thought that would have worked." Gerald frowned.

"Just wait."

Helga ran outside as Arnold looked up and paused. He contemplated his decision and then followed her outside. The couple slowly headed towards the door to follow them. Once they had approached the door, they noticed the two of them talking rather loudly outside.

"Maybe you were right. They're never going to get along."

Phoebe slid into a seat by the door while Gerald stayed by the door. Gerald looked at his sullen girlfriend and turned to look at Arnold and Helga outside, when he watched Arnold grab Helga and kiss her. Gerald walked backwards away from the door in shock.

"Gerald? Are you okay?" Gerald shook his head.

"You need to see this."

Phoebe walked over to the door and couldn't help but squeal as she watched the two blondes kissing in the school parking lot. Arnold pulled back and stared at the door and Phoebe ducked.

"It seems like we have some spies." Arnold grinned as he held Helga's waist.

"Let them watch."

Helga leaned in and kissed him. Gerald, still shocked from the experience sat in the chair as Phoebe leaned against him.

"I guess I owe you that date, huh?" He managed to squeak.

Phoebe paused and started to hysterically laugh. Gerald looked at her, confused but then started to laugh as well.

"I guess you do." Phoebe said through giggles.


	7. The Only Exception

**CHAPTER 7!  
**

****Hope you guys enjoy! I finally wrote one by my favorite band!

**Disclaimer:** I own none of these characters or the song. They are owned by Craig Bartlett and Paramore respectively.

**"The Only Exception" by Paramore** is the song.

* * *

**The Only Exception**

**Arnold/Helga**

"Helga, we have to finish this project for class."

"Look, I know Football Head, just finish writing your part and we'll be fine."

"We haven't even talked about your family history yet."

Helga paused.

"We don't need to…"

"It's part of the project, about our partners and their past."

"But my family has to be a part of it?"

"You came from family right?"

"I…my family isn't that important, alright?" She mumbled.

Arnold looked at her as she looked towards the ground. He knew that she had been in some pretty rough shape lately with the fact that her parents had gotten divorced, but there was something else. There had to be something else. She just looked…looked so different.

"Are you okay?" Helga started to nod her head, but then shook it instead.

"No."

He moved closer to her.

"What's wrong?"

"I just…don't want to talk about my parents, or my family. They have been such a mess lately."

"It's not just the divorce is it?"

Helga cringed. She still hated that word. It spun around in her brain.

"It's more than that."

_**When I was younger I saw**_

_**My daddy cry and curse at the wind**_

_**He broke his own heart and I watched**_

_**As he tried to reassemble it**_

"It started the day that my parents got into a huge fight and Miriam finally decided to stand up for herself instead of take Big Bob's anger and hate and push it aside. It was something that I had never witnessed before in my life. But there were a lot of things that she said that got to me…."

She paused, rubbing her eyes.

"She said she only lived her for me and Olga. She had never loved him, she had been in love with someone else that she couldn't have but she slept with Bob. She refused to be happy and leave because she was pregnant with Olga when this guy came back into her life. She had lived with him to keep the two of us safe. That's why she drank so much."

"Your mom was in love with someone else?" She nodded.

"Always had been, but Bob knocked her up while he was in the Army. About broke Bob's black hole of a heart. And he was begging her to stay. Something a Pataki doesn't do, or at least that's what he kept telling me…I just…he was heartbroken and they thought I was gone and I heard the whole thing."

Arnold reached for her hand but she pulled away.

_**And my mama swore that she would**_

_**Never let herself forget**_

"I…I think that part that got me most is the fact that she was still seeing him. She wanted to break his heart and she wouldn't let go of her past. It's terrifying what some people can do. I had thought that even though they disregarded me and everything that I was doing in my life, comparing me to Olga and all that, at least I thought they were happy together. But…"

"They weren't."

"Yeah. It hurts. It's kind of where I got my whole idea of love from to be honest. My parents had stuck by each other no matter what. And Olga is still searching the world to look for someone to match her absolute perfect nature. So I thought that my parents had enough love to help me understand it. The truth hurt."

"I'm so sorry, Helga. I can't imagine that feeling."

_**And that was the day that I promised **_

_**I'd never sing of love if it does not exist**_

"You probably could, to be honest. It's a lot of pain, a lot of anger, a lot of confusion all at once. I'm guess it's about as equal as being heartbroken."

"Are you saying that you've been heartbroken?"

She paused, trying to think of the best answer. The only one that she could come up with was the truth. She sighed.

"Enough that I don't really believe in love anymore."

"You don't believe in love anymore? How is that…"

"Possible? When you watch the only thing you know of love to be broken, then you start to question it and everything around it. I used to think I was in love. But even that has been questioned. I hate questioning myself."

"But you've been with boyfriends before, you didn't love any of them?"

"No…but…"

_You were the only exception._ She shook the thought out of her head.

_**Maybe I know somewhere, deep in my soul **_

_**That love never lasts and we've got to find**_

_**Other ways to make it alone or keep a straight face**_

_**And I've always lived like this**_

_**Keeping a comfortable distance**_

"So you've never been in love then?"

"Love is supposed to be never-ending, full of honor and vows and a whole bunch of other stuff. But none of it ever lasts. People fight, break up, make up, fight some more, it's the same cycle. Sure, I've dated people, but I've kept them at a safe distance from my family or my true feelings. Cause they wouldn't act the same if I did."

"What do you mean?"

_**And up until now I had sworn to myself that I'm content**_

_**With loneliness**_

_**Because none of it was ever worth the risk**_

"It wasn't worth putting my heart out on the line to watch it get ripped to shreds. I've been cheated on, twice. Just because I wasn't the girl that they were looking for, and yeah it got to me, but I thought that something my parents did in the past had to be strong in order for them to stay together that long. So I never gave up hope, until now."

"You don't have to be like this."

Arnold reached again for her hand and grasped it in his. She looked up at him with tear brimmed eyes. Arnold almost felt his heart stop for a second before collapsing into worry.

"I know it may not seem like much, but you've got me if you need me, for anything. I don't like seeing you hurt like this. You're my friend and I care about you."

Helga wiped her eyes with her free hand and went to look at the floor.

"Helga, please. You're going to find someone who is going to give you all that and more. I promise."

_You were my only exception._ Helga opened her mouth to speak but sighed. Arnold wrapped his arm around her shoulder

"You don't have to say anything, just sit here."

Helga couldn't take this amount of kindness from him anymore and cried onto his shoulder in uncontrollable waves. He ran his fingers through her hair as he attempted to comfort her.

"It'll be okay, Helga. I promise."

_You were…the…only…_

_**I've got a tight grip on reality**_

_**But I can't let go of what's in front of me here**_

_**I know you're leaving in the morning when you wake up**_

_**Leave me with some kind of proof it's not a dream**_

Helga heard a thump against her window and woke up suddenly, attempting to move out of her bed. She then found herself tangled in the arms and legs of Arnold, who was sleeping peacefully on the bed beside her. She let loose a smile.

_**You are the only exception**_

After everything she put Arnold through last night, it was a miracle that she had him in her life. She just wanted this moment to freeze so that she would never have to deal with sadness, pain, anger or any other emotion except happiness ever again.

_**You are the only exception**_

If she had ever wanted to be with anyone so much, it would be Arnold. She had remembered her past feelings for Arnold and thought that she had gotten over him. Turns out that they never left. She was in love at one point with Arnold, and still was.

_**You are the only exception**_

She sighed and crawled back into Arnold's arms and turned quickly to face him.

_**You are the only exception**_

_**And I'm on my way to believing**_

She saw a small smile form on Arnold's face as he pulled her tighter. Whether or not Helga knew if he was awake, she honestly didn't care. She was safe and happy in the arms of someone who cared about her.

_**And I'm on my way to believing**_

Someone that, maybe, she could learn to love again.


	8. Grenade

Ladies and Gentlemen...**  
**

**I am back in business!  
**

****Sorry for the HUGE delay in this, but I've had a summer class, plus preparing for my junior year of school, plus working, plus dealing with my friend's relationship issues and my family, so I have had no time to update/write anything. Well, that is til I finished this little baby.

Chapter 8. After about three weeks of me missing me deadlines, is finally put to bed. And guess whattttt

It's another Curly and Rhonda story. *squeals*

However, this one is a little...well...angsty? Sorta, maybe? Well, you can determine it after you read it. I'm changing the rating on the story to T anyway so there will definitely be some more mature stuff going on in Songs of Hillwood now. SO MUCH MORE ANGST. xD

**Disclaimer:** I own neither the song or the characters. Bruno Mars and Craig Bartlett do. Yay disclaimers yay.

Song is **Grenade by Bruno Mars**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Easy come, easy go  
that's just how you live, oh  
Take, take, take it all  
But you never give**

He found her curled in their living room on an armchair staring out of the window, her red fingernails tapping the armchair in an almost rhythmic pattern. He coughed and she turned her head. There was something different with the way that his beloved had looked, he just couldn't determine whether she was angry with him for something or upset. He contemplated what he could have possibly done in his head when she spoke up.

"We need to talk."

**Should've known you was trouble  
from the first kiss  
had your eyes wide open  
Why were they open?  
**

The words no man wanted to hear. He cringed inwardly but approached the armchair quickly.

"Yes, my love."

"I need to end this."  
**  
Gave you all I had  
and you tossed it in the trash  
you tossed it in the trash, you did**

A piercing stab to the heart, a fatal blow.

"You…w-w-what?"

"I need to end this. It hasn't been real. There's nothing there. I don't think I'm in love with you anymore."

**To give me all your love  
Is all I ever asked  
Cause what you don't understand  
Is I'd catch a grenade for you  
Throw my hand on a blade for you  
I'd jump in front of a train for you  
You know I'd do anything for you  
I would go through all this pain  
Take a bullet straight through my brain  
Yes, I would die for you, baby  
But you won't do the same**

Curly felt like screaming.

"You don't understand, do you? I'm in love with you. And now all of the sudden there is nothing there? How can there just be nothing there?"

"I…"

"No, you don't get time to explain. You just don't freaking get it. I'd do anything for you. You name it, it's done. Want me to buy you expensive things? Done. You want me to take you fancy places? It's all done. What do you want from me?"

He watched as Rhonda tensed before she hissed out a response.

"I want you to die."

**Black, black, black and blue  
beat me 'til I'm numb**

He felt himself back up as she slithered closer. That's how he described her right now. A snake. Coldblooded killer with a dark tint in her eyes. Her usually bright brown eyes were now as cold and dark as the night sky.

"You want me to die?"

"You have no idea what I have been trying to do to get away from you!"

"But you…you loved…"

"You think I loved you?" She laughed, "Pathetic."

"You lied..."

"Of course I lied, you idiot. How can anyone love someone like you?"

Curly didn't want to cry but felt the tears forming in his eyes. She sneered.

"Aww, is the baby gonna cry?" She laughed harder.

"You lied. "

"Yes, we get it. I lied. I've been lying. This whole time. I only wanted you because all the sudden you became the richest person in Hillwood. There's only allowed to be one at the top here."

"You only wanted me for my money?"

"Of course. What do you take me for? A fool?

**Tell the devil I said hey when you get to where you're from**

**Mad woman, bad woman**

**That's just what you are**

**Yeah, you smile in my face **

**Then rip the brakes out my car**

He fought the urge to fight back tears. Men don't cry. He had already be harassed enough by this devil of a woman for almost breaking. That's just the thing though, wasn't it? The truth finally came out. She had never been in love with him. She only wanted him because he inherited money from his aunt and uncle after they passed away. He was worth millions and Rhonda was too consumed by her greed to ever fall in love with anyone.

"Why?"

"Why not? I have no idea how many times I've tried to kill you. Cutting the brakes in your car…"He felt himself flash back to that moment.

_Rhonda had been standing outside of his car, something in which she had never done. It was an entirely pleasant surprise at first. Rhonda never woke up early enough to see him go off to work, especially on his early days where he was out the door by 5am. The sun wasn't even up yet and there was his beloved girlfriend leaning against the car with a sweet smile on her face. _

"_Hi, honey."_

"_Rhonda. You're up early."_

"_Just wanted to see you off to work this morning. Big day and all."_

"_Performance evaluation, yeah. You were paying attention?"_

"_I always do, baby. It may not look like it, but I do."_

_He kissed her on the cheek and stepped into the car._

"_I love you."_

"_I love you too, good luck."_

_He put the car into drive and drove down the driveway towards their gate. He looked back in the rear view mirror and saw Rhonda waving at him. He grinned to himself and set out for work._

_He had remembered that was the day that his brakes stopped working. He almost crashed that day, running completely late for work and missed his evaluation. Luckily, his boss seemed to be in a good mood that day and let him go tomorrow instead. He had thought it had all be rotten luck. _

But now he knew the truth.

If my body was on fire  
you would watch me burn down in flames  
you said you loved me, you're a liar

"You were the one who cut my brakes? I just thought…"

"Just thought they stopped working? It was all just some bad luck? You haven't even seen bad luck yet, Gammelthorpe. Cause when I'm through with you, you're gonna be praying for something better."

"All this for money?"

"What can I say, I'm greedy." She sneered.

"And you aren't going to get caught?"

"Trust me sweetheart, I'm safe. Everyone is going to think we were robbed. Both of us dead on the floor. Got a girl to fill in for me, ain't she a sweetheart."

He looked behind her at the girl propped up against the chair. Her eyes were closed and there was dried blood running down the side of her face, a hole in the left side of her head. He cringed.

"And then I'm gonna run, of course, your will is gonna have a long lost cousin named as the one who is gonna get your wealth and assets. I'm making a new name with my money and yours. Richer than ever, baby."**  
**

**Cause you never **

"You really want me to die? You never, not once, loved me?"

**Ever **

"How many times do I have to repeat myself for you to get it?"

"Just say it again."

She walked towards him, her icy stare and unblinking eyes were the only thing that he noticed as her heels clicked across the hardwood floor. She stuck the gun to his head and breathed a frustrated sigh before the sound of the words coming out of her mouth matched the look in her eyes. Cold as ice.

**Ever did, baby  
**

"I. Never. Loved. You."

But, darling, I'd still catch a grenade for you

**Throw my hand on the blade for you  
I'd jump in front of a train for you **

**You know I'd do anything for you **

She massaged the trigger as she whispered in his ear. Her breath tickling the side of his face but he kept himself calm.

"Any last words before your brains plaster the floor?"

He sighed and looked up at her, the gun still planted on his temple, attempting to contact a Rhonda that he knew wasn't there. All he saw in her was evil. He closed his eyes.

"I would have given you the money regardless, you could have had everything and stayed with me. You didn't have to kill and run."

"Oh, but I really do. I really, really do."

"Then what are you waiting for?"  
**  
I would go through all this pain**

**Take a bullet straight through my brain**

**Yes I would die for you baby**

She gripped the trigger tightly as a loud bang rang through the large room. She smiled as she watched the color drain of his face and he collapsed to the floor. She turned on her heel and walked over the other body and planted her in a position on the large armchair. It was all over and she got everything that she wanted. Sure, it wasn't the most moral thing to do, but whoever said a Wellington-Lloyd had to play fair to get what they wanted. She opened the back door, shot some shots into the glass window and walked carefully to the front of the house, attempting not to be seen. Without any further looks behind her, she hopped into the car and drove down the driveway into the sunset, never to be seen again.

**But you won't do the same**

* * *

**Be sure to rate and review! I love hearing what you guys think!  
:D**

**-Kate  
**


	9. Magic Carpet Ride

**Well, hello hello hello!**

And look at that **Chapter 9** already? It's surprising to me as well. Considering it only took 10 days to finish this one compared to three weeks. Heh whoops.

But... these next couple stories may be the last ones for a while. Considering that my summer is just about to end in two weeks. D:

So I have plenty of ideas that I want to write, but no time to write them. But hopefully, I can get them out there to you guys soon!

As for Chapter 9, this song is a song no one and I mean NO ONE has probably heard of. Considering it's one of my hidden finds of songs. I can't even find a clip on YouTube to listen to it!  
Or anywhere believe it or not.

But if you have Rhapsody or Napster or any other music listening site, look it up. It's **Magic Carpet Ride (Take a Ride on My Magic Carpet) by MDO**. And yes, it's off a Disney album, don't judge me you.

Oh yeah, and the normal disclaimers. All that stuff. Whatever, Craig Bartlett for characters, song isn't mine.

**Now go enjoy Chapter 9!**

* * *

"Hello, Shortman. Just getting home? How bout some raspberry pie? Your grandma made it."

"Yea, Grandpa, it's been a long day. I think I'm just gonna go upstairs."

"Suit yourself." He took another bite of his pie as Arnold ascended the stairs and collapsed on his bed with a long sigh.

Arnold sat up at the stars in the night sky as he saw a weird flash of color above him.

Climbing the steps up to the roof, he saw what looked like a rug sitting on the rooftop. A festive shade of purple with tints of green, yellow and pink throughout the patterns. As he reached over to touch the golden and frayed edges of the carpet, it bounced to life, knocking him backwards. The carpet soared up into the air and formed circles over his head as he followed it with his eyes. It jerked to a stop and floated safely to the ground behind a water heater that was swallowed in shadows. He hesitated but decided to cross the rooftop towards the carpet.

Footstep after footstep made his heart leap into his throat as he heard the crickets of the night along with someone's slow but steady breathing from somewhere around the area. That's what scared him the most. The idea that someone else was up here with him. As he looked behind the water heater, he noticed the carpet softly resting behind it. He reached over and grabbed one end of the carpet while he noticed another hand grabbing the other end. He paused, but didn't want to let go of it. He slowly looked up as noticed a pair of ice blue eyes staring back at him. He felt a slight edge of paranoia running around his brain, but for some reason, he couldn't pull his gaze away. The figure stepped out of the shadows as Arnold let go of the carpet and stood in a daze.

She was the most beautiful person that she had ever seen in his life. Blonde hair rolling past her shoulders, dressed like Princess Jasmine in one of the Disney movies that he had watched as a kid. The thing that couldn't tear him away was her eyes. They seemed to be hypnotizing him, enticing him to move closer to her. Those eyes seemed so familiar too. He shook himself back into reality as the girl whispered a hello. His heart skipped too many beats.

"You must be wondering how I got up here."

"I…I guess I'm a little…curious…"

She moved closer to him and grinned. Her smile was intoxicating. He felt himself blushing a vivid shade of red as she took two steps closer and he attempted to take one step back.

"You don't wanna go for a ride, do you?" She nodded her head to the carpet.

"I…I…I guess that…"

Before he had time to finish the sentence, she whistled softly as she jumped up on the carpet as it flew towards her. She offered her hand as she hovered above the ground. Arnold glimpsed at his bedroom window and then again to the girl extending her hand. She smiled softly and Arnold felt chills racing up his spine. He looked down at his own hand and raised it to hers. She pulled him up quickly as they raced down the street. Arnold lost his balance as he tightened her grip on her hand. She laughed.

"Scared?"

"N-n-no…"

"Mhmm. I'm sure."

**I feel so strange  
'Cause she's looking right through me  
a feeling I cannot explain  
She's put a spell on me  
There's no reality **

She laughed again. A full, beautiful laugh. He felt himself laughing slightly too. For a few minutes, Arnold watched the city of Hillwood from his newly found view and stared in awe of its beauty. He was surprised that this place that he had grown up in had been so much more different from a whole new point of view. He stared back up at the stars and felt the wind at his back. He turned his attention back over to the girl riding next to him, who had seemed to be watching his expressions curiously.

"Have you had a lot of people riding with you?"

"Never have. Just you."

Arnold felt a smile forming back on his lips that he knew wasn't going to leave anytime soon. As he turned back to her quickly, he noticed the small smile also on her face as she turned to look forwards. He felt his heart flutter and sigh. Every emotion that a guy should be feeling when he was falling in love, falling in love with an interesting girl like her. Interesting, beautiful…hauntingly beautiful. Falling in love at first sight. Now that's something he didn't usually believe in... but he was willing to make an exception…just this once. Falling head over heels, he played with the idea in his head, falling for…wait…just what was her name?

"I…never asked…."

"Never asked for what?"

Arnold blushed.

"Your name."

She smiled.

"Hope. My name is Hope."

"Hope."

**Only the sound of her name **

A beautiful name for a beautiful woman.

"I'm…"

"Arnold... I know already."

He grinned.

"Oh, well then…good…I guess."

She laughed.

"Ever the charmer, huh?"

"You have no idea."

**She's in control of me  
I'm lost in fantasy  
Floating in black velvet skies **

A violent shade of red emerged across Arnold's cheeks as she giggled and pull gently on the edge of the carpet, speeding it up faster. A rush went over him, not just from the confusing feelings that he was currently having for the mysterious Hope, but also due to the winds rushing over his face and body as they traveled through the night sky. It certainly didn't seem like reality to him as he kept attempting to pinch himself. Nothing; not even a single reaction. He grinned. His reality was something too grand to even dream of anyway.

**She's supernatural  
Freaky dimensional  
Haunting the rooms of my mind **

The only thing that seemed to be crossing his mind was Hope. The way the light of the moon seemed to be reflecting on her hair, making it seem a lot brighter than it did on his rooftop. Or maybe it was the war the wind was flowing that was making her seem like a complete angel. Well, an angel on a magic carpet. Did angels even have magic carpets? All Arnold knew is that she was something else entirely. And he didn't seem to care. When the carpet suddenly came to a stop back on his rooftop, he felt himself almost falling of the edge as she grabbed a hold of his hand again, sending electrical surges throughout his body. He looked into her eyes. He knew exactly what it was that he liked best about Hope tonight. It was the way the stars seemed to make her eyes twinkle, even the tinest bit, so that it looked like her eyes could belong in the sky as well.

He descended from the carpet and stood beside her.

"Did you like it? The ride?"

"It was amazing. You're amazing."

She smiled softly.

"You're pretty amazing yourself, Arnold."

She leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips. It was like everything in him was about to melt to the ground below.**  
**

**From the first kiss I knew it was over **

**From the first day I knew I was born to be her lover **

"Goodbye Arnold."

She let go of his hand and jumped back onto the carpet.

"Wait! Will I ever see you again?"

She smiled.

"Of course you will. I'm always around. You might not realize it at first. I like to keep myself hidden. But you'll know it's me, just by looking into my eyes."

"What do you mean?"

"You tell me." She grinned.

"Hope, I… I just want to stay… stay here, maybe go with you…see the world…together."

"Arnold…I'm…not real. I'm not real Arnold. You're dreaming."

"Dreaming? I can't be dreaming…"

"Goodbye Arnold."

"Hope! Wait! I can't be dreaming! I just can't!"

**I never knew that love would make me tremble  
I never thought my heart could ever take this much **

Arnold woke up with a start as he fell out of bed and onto the unforgiving floor. He looked around him as the bright natural light flooded his room. He sighed. So it really was a dream. Hope wasn't real. He had fallen in love with a dream. But what exactly was this dream telling him to do? He changed his clothes and walked down the two sets of stairs and out the front door. Gerald was standing outside with his baseball glove in hand.

"Hey Arnold you look dazed man, you okay?"

"Yea, I'm alright."

"Whatever you say."

As they walked down the street, Gerald was talking about Phoebe, his girlfriend and Arnold just wanted to see if he could even get himself to daydream about Hope, but nothing. She would never appear. He frowned. Just exactly where did she go? He felt his heart actually hurting, all over this stupid dream and this stupid girl. He grumbled to himself as they approached Gerald Field where the rest of the neighborhood teens were gathered for their Saturday game of baseball.

"Hey, where's Helga?"

"Yea, she's usually the first one here."

Arnold took himself out of his daydreams to notice that the blond haired girl wasn't present. He was actually kind of glad that she wasn't here yet, her yelling at him didn't really help much for his daydreams and he wanted to intensely focus on them. He watched out of the corner of his eye as a blonde ran down the street towards them.

"Sorry I'm late, let's get going."

After several hours, the game ended and only Arnold and Helga were remaining at Gerald Field. Arnold leaned against the brick wall as he watched Helga still pitching to an empty home plate. He tried to focus his thoughts back on Hope. Her hair, her smile, her laugh, her eyes. Everything about her, it just wasn't flooding back into his head.

"Hey Football Head!"

Arnold looked up to see Helga running over to him.

"What are you, off in La La Land again? I asked you for my ball back 5 times!"

"Oh, sorry…"

He looked up into her eyes as she leaned over him. For a moment, he thought he saw Helga's eyes twinkle slightly.

And then everything came back.

**'Cause she said **

**Take a ride on my magic carpet  
Nothing' in this world can stop it **

"_You don't wanna go for a ride, do you?"_

"_I…I …I guess that…"_

**Flying' high as we rise above it  
All 'til morning **

"_Hope. My name is Hope."_

"_Hope. I'm…"_

"_Arnold…I know already."_

"_Oh…well… good I guess…"_

"_Ever the charmer huh?"_

"_You have no idea."_

**Hold me tight as we oogie-boogie  
on my magic carpet ride **

"_Did you like it? The ride?"_

"_It was amazing. You're amazing."_

"_You're pretty amazing yourself, Arnold."_

**Flying high as you hang on to me  
All through the night, **

"_Wait! Will I ever see you again?"_

"_Of course you will. I'm always around. You might not realize it at first. I like to keep myself hidden. But you'll know it's me, just by looking into my eyes."_

"_What does you mean?"_

"_You tell me."_

Just by looking into my eyes.

"Hope?"

"Hope? What about Hope? Is there someone named Hope? You on some kind of crazy pills?"

"I'm fine, Helga. I'm a lot better actually."

"Uh…well, alright then."

"You walking home?"

"Was about to."

"You think I could join you?"

"Whatever floats your boat, Football Head."

Arnold walked beside Helga as he looked back up at her and thought he saw a small smile forming on her mouth.

* * *

Well then you finished! Hope you liked it.

Some notes while you are here:

If you couldn't figure it out, yes Hope is Helga. Just in Arnold's dream she acts differently, because Arnold believes that Helga has some good in her and that good is Hope. Arnold knows that there is a different side to Helga but he never thought he'd actually fall in love with it. So basically, Arnold fell in love with the real Helga and now realizes it. Talk about a subconscious huh?

One of the reasons I choose to named Dream Helga Hope is because their names mean almost the same thing. Helga means "holy, blessed and faithful" while Hope means "faith".

So I "hope" (heh, get it.) you enjoyed this chapter and hopefully I'll get a tenth up soon. But I need some help.  
Below there is a list of songs and ideas that I had to go with them. When/if you decide to review, put your choice there. That's right I'm letting you choose the song for Chapter 10. A once in a lifetime opportunity. And don't worry if your favorite doesn't get picked, it will be done, just at a later period of time.  
So here are your choices!

**COLLIDE BY HOWIE DAY**- A song fic written through the eyes of Arnold and Helga on their first day of meeting each other. That's right, it's preschool edition!

**OBSESSED BY BOA**- A song fic written through the eyes of Helga is coming to terms with her feelings for Arnold during a session of therapy with Dr. Bliss.

**KILLING ME SOFTLY BY THE FUGEES** - A song fic through the eyes of Helga as she meets Arnold who is singing in a coffee house. AU.

**BETTER TOGETHER BY JACK JOHNSON**- A cute little song fic about Gerald and Phoebe. It would be my first one? xD

**HAVEN'T MET YOU YET BY MICHAEL BUBLE**- A song fic through the eyes of Sid. CAUSE OMG SID.

**LA LA BY THE CAB- **A song fic set through the eyes of Rhonda...wait Rhonda now? as she pretty much lies her way throughout her relationship with Curly. INTENSE FEELINGS GALORE.

So there are your choices! I'm giving you reviewers until **Saturday** to make up your minds and choose. The winner will be typed and complete by hopefully Next Tuesday or Wednesday night.

**Thanks for reading! :D**


	10. Killing Me Softly

**Chapter 10!  
**

After only two people voting...come on now. I'm gonna give you guys another shot at voting for next song selection. But different songs this time! OH GOD DIFFERENT it won't go up for another three weeks. Voting will be in a poll starting tonight and going up until the release of Chapter 12. So you have plenty of time to vote.** SO DO IT**. Please and thanks. :D

As for the songs in the other voting thing...I will still do those songs, I promise! Actually, I decided that La La by the Cab is next week, cause one reviewer has been asking since forever and it's about time I obliged, right? **Chapter 11 is La La by the Cab featuring Rhonda and Curly**. YES SIR. And sorry Rhonda fans, she's gonna be a complete asshole again. I can't guarantee I will right Rhonda as the good guy anytime soon. NO REGRETS.

Chapter 12 will be for all my Sid fans in the audiences. **Chapter 12 is Haven't Met You Yet by Michael Buble**. A Sid centered Songs of Hillwood? SAY IT AIN'T SO. Well, yes. I do love Sid a lot. I just haven't looked at anyone else in the gang as someone for him. _BUT_...it will tie heavily into my new story! Considering I do actually give Sid some loving in that story. New stories are so much fun.

**Enough about the future. TO THE PRESENT I SAY.  
**

Chapter 10 is here! Enjoy it!**  
**

* * *

**I heard he sang a good song**

**I heard he had style**

**And so I came to see him and listen for a while**

"Pheebs, you really want me to go to one of these poetry slams?"

"Of course, you're so talented at poetry."

"Yea, but my poems are kinda sad. I guess I don't wanna depress the audience."

"Sometimes sad poems are the best kind of poems. Just give it a shot."

Helga was nervous to say the least. It was her first time in New York, as she was visiting Phoebe on a long weekend. After Phoebe had gotten into NYU and Helga had gotten into Bennington College like her sister had, Helga hadn't done much on the weekends besides writing stories and poems in her room. Her roommates had tried to convince her to come out with them, but Helga always refused. She wasn't much of a partying person or a very emotional person, only really to Phoebe.

She skimmed the edges of her tattered pink notebook and wondered if she was actually going to open herself up to complete strangers. She needed something to drink first, she concluded.

"Hey Helga, there is this boy that I think you'll like. He's a local musician here and plays here."

"Isn't it supposed to be a poetry slam though, not a musical styles of some kid slam."

"Well it isn't just the slams, they are only on Saturdays. I performed here once. The rush of the crowd is rather exhilarating."

Phoebe reading poetry? And she had thought she knew her best friend.

"Phoebe, you hate writing poetry and writing in general. What's with this whole poetry thing?"

Phoebe blushed a wild shade of pink before walking up to the door of the local coffee place on campus called the Cocoa Hut.

"It's actually because of the barista."

Helga turned to look in the window at the rather attractive brown haired boy working behind the counter. She grinned.

"Good eye, Pheebs. He is pretty cute."

"His name is Tom. We talk almost every day."

"You're here every day?" Helga was slightly concerned.

"Oh no! He's in one of my classes. So we see each other a lot."

"So he's one of those smart types too."

"He's very smart. And adorable. And sweet. And…"

"I get it. He's perfect. Maybe we should go in and say hi."

Phoebe pulled open the door with a grin as the brown haired boy named Tom waved at her. She blushed again and walked over to the counter.

"I guess I'm alone here."

Helga sat at one of the tables beside the window in the corner of the shop while a girl was playing her guitar and singing a song into the microphone. She sighed and turned her head down to the table and then back out the window to watch the people walking by. She had to admit that New York was an incredibly beautiful and lively place, but maybe not the place for her right now. She watched Phoebe at the counter as Tom leaned over the counter with a huge grin on his face while Phoebe blushed and giggled her way through the conversation. It was about time Phoebe found her Mr. Right, now if only she could find hers.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please give a warm Cocoa Hut welcome to Arnold!"

**And there he was this young boy**

**A stranger to my eyes**

Helga turned her head towards the stage as a cornflower yellow haired boy with a guitar took the stage and sat on the stool. He smiled quickly at the audience and Helga felt herself relax in her seat. As the music started to play, Helga felt her heart beat slowly, almost to the rhythm that the guitar was playing. He looked up from his hands towards the audience before he focused on Helga and quickly shot another grin before looking back down at his fingers for the notes. She felt her face growing red quickly as she looked down at the table. She remembered his eyes. Green, not a simple green, a complex and rather overwhelming shade of green that seemed to be keeping Helga of her game. She scrambled to the book in her lap and flipped through the pages, attempting not to get back into eye contact with the beautiful boy in front of her. She only looked up when she heard his voice echoing throughout the coffee house.

**Strumming my pain with his fingers**

**Singing my life with his words**

**Killing me softly with his song**

His voice was incredibly haunting, like a beckoning, a question. Directed towards her? It seemed to be almost speaking to her. She couldn't keep her eyes off of him as he continued to strum each note that her heart seemed to beating, singing about a lost love and all the pain that seemed to go with it. It was all too familiar. She felt like she needed to run, needed to scream. Was he singing it to her? To remind her of all the pain she had been through? He couldn't. They didn't even know each other.

**Killing me softly with his song**

All that mattered is that it was literally killing her to listen to his voice singing the pains of her heart.

**I felt all flushed with fever**

**Embarrassed by the crowd**

**I felt he found my letters **

**And read each one out loud**

There was a lot that happened in her life. Mostly dealing with her family. Her less-than-perfect parents who continued to either yell and scream at her or ignore her existence completely. Her perfect sister that seemed to be hogging all the limelight and attention from their parents and she didn't care, she relished in the moments. Helga knew that the only person that she had in her life that she fully trusted was Phoebe. Though now, after several months of not having Phoebe by her side, she was slowly starting to lose their friendship. She stared back at the couple back at the coffee counter as they both seemed to be intensely staring at the stage with smiles on their faces. Phoebe turned to meet her gaze and grinned at her, mouthing the words "That's the kid I was telling you about. Isn't he great?"

Yea, so great. Almost too great. A little bit scary about how his song seemed to be accurately terrorizing Helga.

The song was too much like the letters that she would write to herself on days where she couldn't handle the world around her. The letters from her past that filled a shoebox in the back of her closet back home. It was like this mysterious boy was flipping through the letters and singing whatever she had carefully sprawled across the lined pages.

**I prayed that he would finish**

**But he just kept right on**

It was like she was reliving one of her worst nightmares. A beautifully tuned nightmare. And this stranger was directing the entire thing. She wasn't sure whether or not to hate him or question how he could pick a song that could crush her sprits and make her re-imagine her worst moments over and over again. This song needed to end before she letting everything completely go and start sobbing uncontrollably.

When the song finally ended, she watched the audience attempting not to scream and rave for the boy with the beautiful voice. They simply clapped politely as they could were a few murmurs: not something he'd usually sing, this song was so sad, he usually sings such happy love songs, is he okay? It was enough to spark an interest in her. Helga kept herself composed and walked up to him at the end of the night as he started to pack up his guitar and his music.

"Um…hi."

He turned around and smiled.

"Hi. I remember you. The cute blonde girl from the crowd earlier."

She felt her face flush.

"I guess."

"Well you know my name. Well part of it. I'm Arnold. Arnold Shortman."

"Helga. Helga Pataki."

"Well, Helga Pataki, do you go to NYU? I've never seen you around here."

"I go to Bennington. I'm visiting a friend."

"I hope your friend doesn't mind if I steal you for a little bit then."

"Why did you pick that song? People were saying that's not one of the ones you usually sing."

His smile turned into a frown.

"You know, I do sing happier songs. But that's cause I look into someone in the audiences eyes. Always the happy ones. People like happy music. But something drew you to me, Pataki. Something that made me sing that song. I had no idea you were that sad."

She cringed.

"I've dealt with a lot."

"Your eyes tell it all."

"You can tell all that pain with just a look in my eyes."

"Not usually. You're just very expressive."

Helga shuffled her feet.

"Not that that's a bad thing! I'm sorry, you're just someone that intrigues me. You are something different from all these people in here. You're something real and beautiful."

"You still want to steal me for a bit." She whispered.

He grinned and took her hand.

"It will be a lot longer than a little bit, Helga Pataki. I intend to figure out what's going on in that head of ours."

"You're gonna be around for a while then."

"Perfect. Just what I wanted."

* * *

Well that was cute, right? Maybe?

Thanks for reading! 3

Now here's your song choices!

**Two is Better than One by Boys Like Girls and Taylor Swift**

**Paralyzer by Finger Eleven  
**

**Save the Last Dance for Me by Michael Buble**

**I'll Meet You There by Owl City  
**

**Heartless by Kanye West  
**


	11. La La

Disclaimer: Hey Arnold things, La La...and I'll Be? are owned by their respective people. I only own the ideas with it, kay thanks!

**Chapter 11! Whoo!**

Hey guys hey there! I have officially started my third year of college! So writing things is gonna be a little more difficult. But, I do have a creative writing class this semester so I won't be completely dead. Hopefully.

Anyway, three things!

**Number 1:** Voting is still up for Chapter 13! And I have gotten some reviews with your choices and I definitely appreciate it! But I made a poll so people who don't feel like reviewing can also vote through that poll. It's on my bio page so PLEASE vote. It's up for another week so get to it! :)

**Number 2:** This story is called La La by the Cab like I promised and usually I don't do dedications to anyone. BUT... I have had a very faithful reviewer who is looking forward to this and has review on every single one of my stories and I really REALLY appreciate it! So this story is dedicated to the lovely MorganTaylorM3! Thank you so much for supporting me!

**Number 3**: Some beginning notes about the story. Italics are thoughts (Most of them are Rhonda's, you'll see why.) Italics and underline is another song. This other song is I'll Be by Edwin McCain. Just thought I'd let you know!

So without further ado: La La featuring Rhonda and Curly!

* * *

Curly hated these stupid little events that his aunt and uncle threw. They were always too fancy, too formal and everyone at the party was always a pompous ass. He never would have imagine going from life on a small farm with his parents in to a big and fancy mansion in the middle of the city; surrounded by so many people. After his parents died in a car accident when he was thirteen, he was forced to live with his conceited aunt and uncle, along with their two children who were just as bad as them. He was just lucky that usually they let him live however he pleased. Well, expect for nights like these.

In the Gammelthorpe manor, there were always rather lavish events being hosted and unfortunately, as a member of their "family", Curly was expected to dress up and attend every single one of them, no matter what the circumstances. He hated dressing up though, the formal ware that lined a special part of his closet, the fancy shoes, the slicked back hair. He just wished that he could escape all the craziness and just leave. He still had two years left before he could go off to college. He sighed as he adjusted the bowtie currently choking him and attempted to flatten out his hair before walking out of his room.

As per usual, he was late. Not that it mattered, his aunt and uncle expected him to show up for dinner and dancing. Dinner was served at 7 sharp and he still had at least 15 minutes to attempt to hide. He walked down the grand staircase as swarms of people in their best evening ware walked through their front door. His cousin Lucy, known now as Lucille was busily chatting up the other girls her age at the doorway as her mother stood almost 10 feet away doing the same thing with their mothers. He groaned inwardly. Like mother like daughter. As for his other cousin, William and his father, they sat in the estate room where most of the men smoked their cigars, idly sipped at their brandys and talked about their businesses. William was just there because at 18 years old, he was trying to fit in with the other adults. His uncle even expected him to find his way in there one day but he refused, at least, in his head he refused. He didn't have the courage to defy the only family that had decided to take him in.

As dinner commenced and ended, he felt as if the night would never end and now he had to deal with the fact that he still had to dance. He never really learned how to properly dance, he had seen it enough on movies and television shows about the awkward couples at prom that would dance to really slow music. Usually, no one asked Curly to dance cause he was considered the weird kid of the Gammelthorpe's. He knew that his cousins would trash talk about him behind his back and thank god they did. He didn't want to be a part of this stupid high society thing anyway. He would have much rather preferred to be on his own. He continued to sit in the corner of the ballroom until he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. It wasn't just something, it was someone. A very beautiful someone.

**Come feel my heart**

**It's beating like a drum and I confess**

**When you're around**

**It's like an army's marching through my chest**

Curly's heart flipped and skipped a few beats when he looked at the tall girl dressed in red standing across the room. She had long dark hair that curled around her shoulders and towards her chest and dark brown eyes that seemed to make the room feel a little bit brighter. She must have been new to all of these parties because he had never seen her before in his life. He would have definitely noticed if she had. And for some odd reason, Curly felt compelled to ask her to dance, even though he had no idea how. With a determined walk across the ballroom floor, he tapped the girl lightly on the shoulder as she turned around to stare back at him.

**And there's nothing I can do**

**I just gravitate towards you**

**You're pulling on me like the moon**

"Um…hi."

"Hello."

"I was wondering…wondering…wondering if you want to… you know…"

"Dance?"

"Yea! Dance! Do you want to dance with me?"

He felt the heat rising on his cheeks as she smirked slightly and nodded, pulling him out onto the floor with her. Curly definitely needed to talk to her more tonight, she was something way too interesting to let go off. He adjusted his hands on her hips and she instantly took command, which he appreciated.

"So, um…where are you from? I've never seen you around here before."

"Hillwood. I'm visiting my cousin Charlene for the next few days while my parents are in Rio."  
"Why didn't you go?"

"Wasn't invited. Traitors."

"Wait Charlene? As in Charlene Wellington? You're a Wellington?"

"Wellington-Lloyd actually. My mother is Bert Wellington's younger sister."

"Do you have a first name then?"

"Rhonda. It's Rhonda."

_Wow. Rhonda what a beautiful name._

"I'm Thad, I go by Curly though."

_Jesus, what a dweeb. But he's hot. I mean, I might actually get something out of this kid. You are lucky you are cute._

**I just wanna get you sideways**

**I say anything I can to get me more than just a dance**

**Tell me where to put my hands**

**You know that you could be my favorite one-night stand**

"I think I'll just stick with Thad. If you don't mind."

"Sounds perfect." He blushed.

_Hook, line and sinker._

Tonight, Rhonda only had one plan. To steal the man that her stupid cousin Charlene had been ogling for the past couple months. Sure, it was a bit petty but Charlene had done too much to piss her off lately. Like the multiple expensive trips that her parents were taking her on, the fact that no matter where the two of them went, Charlene still managed to get more guys than she did. It annoyed her so much, but now, now she was about to get even. By stealing this really hot, but incredibly dorky guy right from out of Charlene's big fat nose job.

"So maybe we could go talk somewhere. You seem really interesting."

"Sure!" He practically yelled into her ear.

"Uh…great. Let's go this way."

She pulled him towards the back door, but not without first passing Charlene and her friends as she stuck out her tongue at her and walked out the door without the lovesick puppy behind her even seeing a thing. This was just too perfect.

She slid her arms behind his neck and smiled an award winning smile at him. He practically melted.

"There's actually something else that I wanted to do instead of talk."

She leaned in towards him and met her lips to his. He almost pulled back in shock before settling into the kiss. She had to admit, this boy could kiss. Best one nighter she'd ever pull.

**You get me higher**

It had been a complete shock to Curly as this beautiful girl had been kissing him. Actually, was still kissing him.

It was one of the best nights of his life.

**What would you do if I told you that I la-la-la-loved you?**

**Do if I said it tonight?**

To think that this beautiful woman would even give him the time of day. To be a Wellington and to still think that he was actually attractive almost scared him. The Gammelthorpe's and the Wellington's were arch rivals, in business and many other aspects. Mr. Wellington was one of his uncle's main competitors in the oil industry and hated his guts while Charlene and his cousin Lucille were equestrian competitors. But with Rhonda and himself coming from two different places and joining here in this society, it seemed like the idea of a Wellington and Gammelthorpe together could actually happen. He smiled into the kiss as he let his daydreams go on.

He was in love with a woman that he just met and he didn't care.

**You're like a song**

**A beautiful symphony to my eyes**

**So take me on**

**I wanna sing along all through the night**

As Curly let go of the kiss, he grinned at her while she put on a small smile.

"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met, you know that?"

"Am I?"

"Your voice is like my favorite song. I just keep on wanting listening to it over and over again. And your eyes, they sing too you know. Beauty, glory, and maybe some pain."

"You can tell that just by looking at me?"

"You seem like a good person. I can tell good people right away."

Rhonda couldn't help but blush.

_What a charmer. Now I almost feel bad for what I'm going to do._

Curly took this as a sign to stand against the railing overlooking their large garden and sigh. Rhonda glided next to him.

"You don't seem to fit with all of this people."

Curly tilted his head at her.

"I mean, you're just different."

"I guess you figured out I'm not really from here. Is it that obvious?"

"A little." She smiled.

**I'm not like the other boys**

**Cause with you I've got no choice**

Curly couldn't help but be amazed as Rhonda went from demanding and commanding to this incredibly shy and innocent person in almost 2 seconds flat. She was exciting, intoxicating. He wanted more, needed more. There was no choice in the matter, he needed to know more, needed to be with her more.

She was his escape from this proper and demeaning world that he was forced to live in.

He leaned in and kissed her again and she blushed.

It took a minute for Rhonda to realize exactly what she was doing as she felt her face getting warmer. Could it be that she was actually falling for this guy? She had just met him, would probably never see him again. But maybe in the back of her mind, she did want to see him again. She shook those notions out of her mind. She's not here to fall for some mysteriously dark stranger she just met, she was here for revenge.

**You make me wanna lose my voice**

**I just wanna get you sideways**

**No, I'm not the type to lie**

**But I might just start tonight**

"Can I ask you a question?"

Rhonda was interrupted by her thoughts by a bright-eyed Curly.

"Sure."

"What's the reason you stayed with me? There were plenty of other guys that are richer and smarter and better looking than me, why didn't you go with them and reject me?"

_Cause I'm trying to ruin my cousin's life. Cause I hate my cousin. Cause she's better than me._

"Because I'm not honestly looking for someone like that. I want someone honest, mysterious but someone I know will treat me the way I should be treated. Plus you found me first."

_Nice save. He's eating it up._

"Oh. Well, yea. I guess that counts too." He smiled.

_He looks so happy. What the hell am I doing?_

The lights soon turned off as Rhonda instantly reached for Curly's arm and gripped it tight.

Curly cringed in pain. The woman had talons, Jesus Christ. But he knew Rhonda couldn't tell that he was almost crying out in pain due to insane amount of darkness. Even the house was completely pitch black while he heard the echoes of screams from the ballroom. Someone must have blown out the power.

**Let me turn off all the lights**

**You know that you could be my favorite lullaby**

"You okay?"

"I think so." She squeaked.

It seemed like almost pure instinct when Curly opened his mouth and started to sing to her as her grip was slowly releasing from his upper arm with every word that came out of his mouth.

_The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful_

_Stop me and steal my breath_

_And emeralds from mountains thrust toward the sky_

_Never revealing their depth_

Rhonda had never heard anyone sing like that before in her life. It was the most beautiful singing voice. How is it that this guy could be incredibly attractive and have the voice of an angel. She let go of his arm and moved away from him slightly. A little concerned, he stopped singing.

"No, wait. Please keep singing."

"You want me to keep going?"

"Yea. But you don't have to…" She blushed again.

_Come on face. Stop blushing. You have a plan to put forth._

**You get me higher**

"I…alright…"

_Tell me that we belong together_

_Dress it up with the trappings of love_

_I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips_

_Instead of the gallows of heartaches that hang from above_

With each word that Curly sang, Rhonda slid over to him and eventually rested her head onto his shoulder as they watched the stars in complete darkness.

_Rhonda Wellington Lloyd. You. Are. Not going to do this to him. Screw your revenge plan, screw Charlene and her being better. You're falling fast for this guy. Keep him around!_

"But what if I mess it all up?"

You won't. Trust me.

"What did you say? Mess what up?"

Rhonda turned her head to look up at him as he stared at her in confusion.

"…Nothing…I…I…I just forget it, please?"

**Like a symphony**

"No, I want to know what's wrong? Is it me?"

"No! It's me. I just don't know."

"Know what, what do you need to know?"

**Like a symphony tonight**

"I'm not sure if I'm being completely honest."

"How can you not be completely honest?"

"Thad…I…when you walked over to meet, I wanted to use you to get back at my cousin Charlene because she has a huge crush on you and if I was with you and she noticed, she'd get pissed and I would finally beat her at something. My parents are constantly comparing me to her and I'm their only daughter. Being last place in a one person competition sucks."

Curly turned away from her a moment and sighed.

"You used me?"

"I was going to…but I can't."

"Why? Why would you tell me? Why would you even think like that?"

Curly heard his words get louder and louder as he continued to scream at her.

**What would you do if I told you that I la-la-la-loved you?**

**Do if I said it tonight?**

"Do you even realize that I had started to fall for you? I thought you were different than all these stuck up snobs and rich fools. I thought you were beautiful, demanding and stubborn but yet sensitive and honest. Well…maybe not honest anymore…I just met you and I think I'm in love with you! Do you get that?"

Rhonda stared down at the ground as she sniffled and wiped her eyes. With one last look at her, Curly walked back into the house as Rhonda watched him walk out the door.

**What would you do if I told you that I la-la-loved you?**

"I love you too."

* * *

Well I didn't make Rhonda a jerk...that much. She was sad at the end? Oh I'm a jerk while writing Rhonda. xD

So I hope you enjoyed it!

**Chapter 12 is Haven't Met You Yet by Michael Buble from the last round of voting! **

Please vote for Chapter 13 in the poll and thank you!


	12. Haven't Met You Yet

**YUS. CHAPTER 12 IS DONE.**

And just in time right? Although I did say Tuesday at the earliest. Heh whoops.

So yeah, Chapter 12 as you are probably aware is Haven't Met You Yet by Mr. Michael Buble who was a wonderful voice. And! He also has another **TWO** songs that I will be writing about in the future. Hopefully. **AND ONE OF THEM WAS THE CHOICES IN THE POLL.**

Speaking of that, the winner...by 1 vote...

**IS HEARTLESS BY KANYE WEST.**

Dear god, do I LOVE this song. So I will be having plenty of fun with this one.

But for now, enjoy Chapter 12! And yeah, I don't own the characters (EXCEPT MELLITA) or the song. They have other owners who are awesome and such.

Oh...I almost forgot. **ANYTHING** in italics in this is a flashback. Enjoy!

* * *

"_I need to end this."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_It's over, Sid."_

**I'm not surprised **

**Not everything lasts**

**I've broken my heart so many times**

**I've stopped keeping track**

You know that feeling when you get your heart ripped out of your chest because you are watching the person you love walk away. I do. After hearing the words, "It's over" so many times, it's kind of hard not to deal with heartbreak. It's gotten to the point where I am almost immune from it. At this point, it was almost hopeless for me to work up the courage to ask out another woman.

**Talk myself in**

**Talk myself out**

**I get all worked up**

**And then I let myself down**

"_So Emily, would you maybe want to see a movie with me tomorrow night?"_

"_Oh, Sid. I'm sorry. I'm busy..washing my hair…"_

"_So Dana, me and you, let's go party huh?"_

"_In your dreams, Gifaldi."_

"_So Penny, you wanna get coffee tomorrow?"_

"_Sid, I'm your cousin."_

You see what I mean? Hopeless.

**I tried so very hard not to lose it**

**I came up with a million excuses**

**I thought I thought of every possibility**

But then I thought of all the reasons it just wasn't working out. Maybe it's the way that I look, or the way that I act. It had to be me that was working out?

Maybe it's them? Maybe they are just too cruel. Too unfeeling. They don't deserve a guy like me.

It had to be some kind of cruel fate. Being tossed around like this, right?

So I went to a couple friends for advice.

"_Maybe you're just gross."_

"_Girls are just stupid, Rhonda has been bugging me since the fourth grade. I'm never dating her."_

"_Your fashion sense is horrible, Sid, seriously, those boots!"_

"_You just gotta play it cool, you know? Suave, maybe some purring. Women love that."_

I'm guessing you're not surprised that I didn't take their advice. So I went to the person I knew I could rely on.

"_Arnold, I need help."  
"Sure, Sid. What's up?"_

"_I need help…with girls."_

"_Of course you do, Gifaldi. Girls run in the opposite direction when you come near."_

Did I mention that Helga was there? They're dating by the way; I'll never understand why he fell for a girl like her.

"_Helga." She grinned as he turned to her._

"_It's true." She mumbled. Another warning glare. Another grin._

"_You need to be yourself, Sid. Any girl that doesn't like you the way you are isn't worth it. Right Helga?"_

"_I guess you're right on that one, Football Head."_

"_That's how I fell for Helga anyway. She was finally herself with me. Just open up, you'll see. Some girl will come along and you'll sweep her off her feet."_

"_You think so?"_

"_I know so. Be accepting of yourself and someone will be accepting of you."_

**And I know someday it'll all work out**

**And I'll work to work it out**

**Promise you kid, I'll give more than I get**

From that walk home, I realized that even if it may take me forever to find that right person. But I can't give up on it.

It all depends on every move that I make in the future. Instead of walking home the normal way from Arnold's, maybe I'll go around the long way and take a stroll through the park.

Sitting on a park bench, I started thinking about the perfect woman for a guy like me. Sure, she'd be beautiful beyond belief but I've been with enough beautiful people to know that there is more beauty on the inside than there is on the outside sometimes.

This girl would challenge me, make me think about myself, pick me up when I was down, make me laugh, make me smile. I'd give her anything she wanted. No matter what the expense, she'd be worth every penny.

She'd love music, maybe she'd play in a band. A guitarist or a singer. Even a bassist, I wouldn't care. She'd like leather jackets and motorcycles. She'd be a little rough around the edges at first. Harsh on the outside, but tender and beautiful on the inside.

One day. One day I'm gonna find this girl and give her the world.

**I just haven't met you yet**

I just haven't met her yet.

**I might have to wait**

**I'll never give up**

**I guess it's half timing **

**And the other half's luck**

**Wherever you are**

**Wherever it's right**

It took me a while to walk out of the park, considering I was getting lost in my daydreams about this perfect and probably not real woman. It was getting dark and the sun was just about to set before I decided to walk back home.

And wouldn't you know, there was a lonely girl sitting on a park bench, crying. For some odd reason, I felt almost compelled to walk over there, to comfort her.

"_Hey, are you okay?"_

She looked up at me. And whoa, big brown eyes. Big, sad, brown eyes. I pre-determined that I didn't like that sad part but now…now I wanted to know more.

"_I…not really."_

"_Do you want to talk about it?" She shook her head and continued to silently cry._

"_Do you just want some company?" She nodded._

I put my arms out to her and she tackled me into them with large tears in her eyes, choking out a sob. She shook as she pushed her face into my chest. I stroked her hair and attempted to calm her down.

"_What's your name?" She sniffled._

"_Mellita, Mellita Marin."_

**You come out of nowhere and into my life**

Mellita. Mellita Marin.

That was the day I met Mellita Marin. If I hadn't walked through the park, stopped to think or felt the need to comfort her. I wouldn't have realized that she was my perfect girl.

Stubborn, tough as nails,

Oh by the way, we're getting married. Surprise right? Every story needs a happy ending right?

**And I know that we can be so amazing**

**And being in your life is gonna change me**

**And now I can see every single possibility**

And now I've got mine.

* * *

D'aww. Ain't that cute?

See about Mellita. If you read any of my other stories, you will realize ...

**"OMG THAT'S MELLITA FROM MISSION FOREVER."**

Yes, you clever cats. It is Mellita from Mission Forever. (If you have no idea what I'm talking about, GO READ MISSION FOREVER. DO IT.)

Mellita is an OC that I created especially for Mission Forever along with many other characters that I have created for the story. But I guess you are also asking...

**"OMG DOES THIS MEAN THAT SID AND MELLITA ARE GOING TO GET TOGETHER?!"**

No it does not. Considering that you haven't even properly met Mellita yet. And half of you will love her, half of you will hate her. Or maybe you'll all love her. I know I do. But the relationship between Sid and Mellita may or may not happen. It all depends on how I write it. Chapter 2 will be up in the next couple of days. I promise.

But, I hope you enjoyed Chapter 12 in the mean time!


	13. Anthem of the Angels

**I have returned. Sorry guys, college has eaten up my free time! D:**

Chapter 13 is a little different, however.

It is not actually Heartless, but I will eventually write it, I promise.

But I did want to write you guys something so you wouldn't go too long without a story.

This story is called **Anthem of the Angels by Breaking Benjamin**. Yes, yes, I use a lot of Breaking Benjamin, don't be surprised if it comes up a lot more.

I'm working on Chapter 2 of Mission Forever still too. But as I said, college is eating away at my social time and this creative writing class doesn't really have me working on actual stories yet. But once I do, Mission Forever will get updated a lot faster, I'm hoping.

But for now, Chapter 13 is up and ready!

Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Hey Arnold characters and Anthem of the Angels are not mine. Respective owners own respective things.

**PS:** This is a bit depressing. So if you aren't good with depressing stories, I suggest you don't read it.

* * *

**White walls surround us**

**No light will touch your face**

**Rain taps the window**

**As we sleep among the dead**

She found herself waking up in a bright white room. Nothing in it. Just pure white, almost like the first snow of the winter, before it got swept to the side by the snow plows. It was almost too blinding to imagine. She had realized that she was sitting on a table in the middle of this room, or was it even a room? There were no windows, no walls, no doors, just white. At least for the few brief seconds that her eyes had managed to flutter back open. As she focused, she saw a window in the distance. A small patter against the glass of the window and in an instant, she leapt of the table and ran towards the window. It was raining, she sighed but as she looked through the window, she saw herself.

A mirror?

"It's not a mirror. If that's what you're thinking."

She jumped from the voice behind her and fell to the floor. She had turned her head slowly and looked up in wonder. There stood a man with forest green eyes and brown hair shaggily resting on the top of his head. He smiled and extended a hand to help her up.

"Matthew."

"I'm…"

"I know who you are, Helga."

She instantly pulled her hand away.

"Where am I? Why am I not there?"

She turned back to the window as she noticed that it wasn't just her reflection that she could see now, but an entire scene. Was she in a hospital room? It looked like one of the hospital rooms at Hillwood General. She was in the bed, nurses walking in and out of the room at brisk paces. She gasped in pain as a needle went into her arm but felt no pain at all. The man frowned and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Helga, I'm not entirely sure how to explain this…"

"Just say it."

"You're dead."

**Days go on forever**

**But I have not left your side**

Arnold paced the hospital hallway outside of Room 310A of Hillwood General Hospital and waited for a response, any kind of response. He had remembered the phone call, how the voice on the other end was sobbing into the phone and he remembered sitting in silence on his bed, trying to take everything in.

And now he just kept waiting. The rest of the gang was here, huddling into positions on the random couches in the waiting area, all of them with some sort of tears in their eyes, whether they were only the tiniest spots or streams, not one single eye was dry. Except for his. He couldn't work up the courage to cry.

It had been three days and there was still nothing.

He realized he hadn't left her alone in three days.

**We can chase the dark together**

**If you go, then so will I**

"You're saying I'm dead. As in kicked the bucket, done, kaput."

"I'm saying all those things, yes."

"How?"

"Car crash."

"I died in a car crash? Great. There goes my rep of being a good driver."

"I shouldn't be telling you this. Any of this. You're just supposed to come with me and not look back."

"Look, Matt. I'm not ready to die."

"I know."

"So is this the time where you say, it was your time, you have a special purpose here and all that other garbage?"

"No."

"No?"

"I'm saying that I'm going to help you go back."

"I can go back."

"You have to listen to everything that I say. I can get in a lot of trouble for this, you know."

"You got it. Just I need to go back."

"Then here is the thing. You have…let's say 24 hours… to fix something that you messed up."

"Something I messed up? When?"

"I don't know. That's the problem. It's something in your past. It's a lot easier for you, you're only 18. But some people that die at 30 or 40, they might have done something back in elementary school that they can't remember that could have saved their life."

Helga sat on the floor and leaned her head towards the window, surprising herself when she didn't fall backwards.

"What do I have to do, time travel?"

"It's not like that. You can't go in the past to change the event. That would be too easy. Instead, you have 1 hour to change the world out there."

"Meaning?"

"It's always that you have touched some person in some way. And when you did that, it changed everything, leading to your early death. Can you think of anyone that you may have touched in a certain way that maybe you shouldn't have? Maybe you hurt them instead of helped them out. Something like that. Usually it's like some guy got stabbed and you didn't save him so you reach out someway to the family and help them get over him."

"I've never witnessed anything like that…"

It was at that moment that she might have realized who this person could be. She gulped.

"You know who it is, don't you?"

"It's my job to know. I'm not allowed to tell you."

"Why?"

"If I tell you, then that's an advantage to you. Angels aren't much for giving people advantages."

"But if I know…"

"If you know, and you're right, I'll tell you so."

She pulled at her clothes until she found the chain of the locket and pulled it up and into her hands. She stared at the picture in the frame.

"It's Arnold."

**Cold light above us**

**Hope fills the heart **

**And fades away**

**Skin white as winter**

**As the sky returns to gray**

"Hey Arnold!"

"Huh? Gerald, Sid, what are you doing here?"

"Coming to get you, I thought you'd be hungry or something."

He stared back into the room where a comatose Helga laid in her bed. His stomach flipped.

"I'm not very hungry."

"Are you sure?"

"Yea. I'm sure."

Gerald shrugged towards Sid as they walked down the hallway as Arnold turned his attention back to the door. With a quick peek around the hallways for any doctors and nurses, he slipped through the doorway and towards her bed. As the monitors blinked and beeped, he stopped at the edge of her bed and knelt down on the floor beside her, taking her hand and holding it. He looked at her face, her skin pale and her eyes closed, her hair in knots as it framed her face. The last time he had seen Helga; she was running down the street, high heels in hand and tears streaming down her face. He had struggled to keep up with her. It was the night of Rhonda's last party.

Someone had noticed the copious amounts of bruises on her body. Along her shoulder blades, on her arms and legs, they were almost everywhere. Someone had noticed and laughed, thinking that she had lost a fight. She had punched them in the face, knocked them out and then she ran and without any other reaction, he had ran after her, but he never caught up.

He regretted not going back to find her.

"Helga. I know that you can't here me…but there's something I need to tell you…"

It started to rain again.

**Days go on forever**

**But I have not left your side**

Helga looked out the window, as the rain got louder. Staring at herself in an empty room was too much for her to handle and she was about to turn away before she noticed the football shaped shadow in the window of the door. She felt her heart skip too many beats. Or at least, she thought she would have felt it, you know, if she hadn't been dead. She sighed.

"I'm right, aren't I?"

"I'm impressed, most people don't figure this part out."

"Arnold's been in my life for 15 years. How can he not be a presence?"

"For some people, this person is someone they might have glanced at. Met for a few seconds and then they disappeared. Obviously, it's a little easier for you."

"What do I have to do?"

"You know what to do."

She turned back to the window and put her hand up to it. She phased right through it and grinned.

"Time starts now?"

He smiled.

"Now."

**We can chase the dark together**

As Helga blinked quickly, she was back in the hospital room, not in her own body, as much as she wanted to be. She walked over to her body and cringed. She was a mess and hopefully she would actually be able to have her senses back. She had one hour. She looked back at the clock as she walked over to the door. As she was about halfway there, she heard the door handle jiggle and she froze.

The door clicked open and Arnold walked inside, quickly peeking over his shoulder before he walked into the room and rushed to her bedside. He paused over her as he took her hand in his and she wishes that she could actually feel him touching her skin. She sighed quietly before walking beside him. He started to speak.

"Helga, I know you can't hear me…but I have to tell you something…."

She sat on the chair beside the bed as she looked intently at his face. He seemed to be struggling to find the words that he wanted to say. It was something that she wasn't used to seeing from him.

"About Rhonda's party…"

She cringed as she remembered the night. Running down the street with tears in her eyes, jumping into her car and driving as far away as she could. Or at least, she had tried to.

"I'm sorry I never got to reach you in time. I should have gone out looking for you. To make sure you were okay."

"It's not your fault." She whispered.

"I just wish I knew everything that was going on. I didn't want to ask about all the bruises cause I knew you would never tell me. I think I know where they are from though."

She looked up at him as he cleared his throat and continued to talk to her body.

"Maybe that's why your parents haven't been here in the last three days."

"Not a shocker."

"You know, I don't think I'd ever tell you this. But I knew. Actually, I saw."

If she had the ability to go white in fear, she would have. He knew? Worse yet, he had seen? She curled herself into a ball on the chair.

"What he did. I should have said something to someone. Anyone. Gotten you help. It's my fault. I could have stopped it earlier…I…"

She reached out for his other hand and felt a warm rush on her fingers. Arnold shivered and looked back at his hand in Helga's.

"Are you awake?"

"No Football Head, it's me. Over here."

She flew to the other side of the bed to look at his face.

**You're dead alive**

"Arnold I'm here, I'm right here!"

**You're dead alive**

" HEY ARNOLD!"

**There is nothing left of you**

**I can see it in your eyes**

"Helga…there is something else I wanted to tell you. I just wanted you to know that I will always be there for you, from now on. You're so important to me and I know it took me a while to say something about it… actually it's been almost 11 years since…well the last time I heard you say that you love me…and I love you too. I guess I always have, I just didn't want to believe it."

She looked at his face again as the tears started rolling down his face and he knelt back down to her hand and rested his wet face against her hand. At that moment, Helga thought that she could feel the pressure of his face against her hand and smiled until she noticed the hand of on her shoulder.

"I'm out of time, aren't I?"

**Sing the anthem of the angels**

"I'm afraid so. But the court is giving you some time, not very long though, to talk to him. But they don't usually. They must like you or something."

"I get to say goodbye?"

"Make it count."

**I keep holding on to you**

**But I can't bring you back to life**

Helga opened her eyes again and felt the pressure on her hand, the light shining brightly into her eyes as she stared up at the ceiling. She felt the smile forming on her face.

"Arnold?" She whispered.

Arnold slowly raised his head and she watched the happiness in his eyes, just from the color alone made her heart sink. There was no possible way that she could be with him now.

"Helga!"

He hugged her as she squealed but then groaned in pain.

"Ow, Arnold, criminy. I'm still sore."

"I'm sorry. I'll…just…"

She grabbed onto the collar of his shirt and kissed him and he didn't pull away. Her heart soared but as she let go and watched the love struck look on his face, she started to cry.

"Helga? What's wrong?"

**Sing the anthem of the angels**

"They aren't giving me long. I have to say goodbye."

"Goodbye? What do you mean goodbye?"

"They're not letting me stay here…with you… I'm lucky I made it this far."

"Who won't let you stay?"

"You…you won't believe me…."

"Try me."

"The angels won't."

**Sing the anthem of the angels**

"The angels won't."

"Arnold, just know that I love you. I always have and I always will."

"Helga, you can't…no…"

"I have to."

"You can't…you can't leave, you hear me? You hear me you sons of bitches, you can't have her!"

"Arnold, my love, it's no use."

"If you go, then so will I."

"No. No, you won't. Just promise me…"

"I…"

"Promise me! Promise me that you will be happy without me. Promise me Arnold!"

"I…I promise."

She pulled him back towards her with another kiss.

"I love you Arnold."

"Helga, please don't."

"I'm…sorry…"

She laid back down on the bed and closed her eyes.

"I love…"

**And say the last goodbye**

As Helga watched Arnold cry and yell up at the ceiling, Helga felt herself sink further and further away. She felt a hand on her shoulder again.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

"Get to say everything you wanted?"

"Just for him to know I'll always love him, I think that's enough of a final goodbye."

She turned her vision to watch the pale blue wings sprout and flutter behind her and smiled.

"Goodbye Arnold. Goodbye."


	14. Conversations

**LOOK WHO IS BACK FROM THE DEAD**. On the day after Halloween no less.

Why hello there, it's been a while hasn't it? I was in the midst of writing a Halloween story that I was going to publish. But it wasn't completed and/or very good. So maybe next Halloween? Who knows right?

So this lovely return to FanFiction is called Conversations with My Thirteen Year Old Self based of the song by Pink ( who grew up 10 minutes away from me! :D) and I actually wrote this in one night. **I****NSPIRATION AT THE BEST TIME.**

I would put everything I want to say here...but that's what the end is for. ;) Don't just not read the end, because there is a special contest at the end for all my awesome readers. Can't give it away though. Read on to find out!

But first, a disclaimer!

_**Disclaimer: I don't own songs or characters OR scenes. They have their respective owners. I just own the story they are put into. Thanks.**_

So I hope you enjoy! I shall try to update as soon as I can!

* * *

It was early on a Friday morning and she knew that she shouldn't be doing this. Getting caught for smoking on school property as a student was one thing… getting caught, as a teacher was a completely different story. She jabbed the cigarette into the small ashtray of her Honda and attempted to straighten her hair in the car mirror before gathering her things from her back seat and slamming the car door shut. Hillwood Middle School had recently become a very strict no smoking school, ever since an 8th grader left a cigarette burning in a trashcan and lit the entire back of an East Wing bathroom on fire. Kids just got dumber and dumber these days.

Helga Pataki stared up at the door to the building, the huge sign in blocky letters saying Hillwood Middle School and a crappy replica of an eagle hastily painted next to it. She sighed before walking into the building and towards her classroom. She taught 7th grade English, it had been her best subject in school and the only grade that covered poetry was the 7th grade, so she instantly took the class from out of the old teacher's hands. It had been a couple years that she had been teaching at Hillwood. She was still trying to get used to the concept that she was back in her hometown. She had sworn that she wouldn't come back but the job offer had been there. So she came home, regretfully.

It was quarter before 8 when her first class of the day filed into the classroom and she greeted them warmly. From 8 to 3, she had the attention of more than 100 students a day, walking in and out of the classroom. She took them time to learn their names and the way that they wrote, most of them being average to below average. But she noticed one student, who constantly seemed to surprise her. That was Talia.

Talia Evans was a seventh grade punk, according to the other teachers. Constantly making fun of the other students, missing class and assignments, talking back to other teachers and blatantly disregarding the rules. She could be summarized by only one word, trouble. For some odd reason though, Helga had almost no problems with the seventh grade's resident evil. There was the one exception; she constantly threw things at the boy in front of her, a sweetheart of a kid named Elliot. But she knew what she was doing. She had seen it all before.

_Helga Pataki, age 13, was not interested in sitting in the back of the class, watching her boring teacher attempt to explain algebra problems on the blackboard. She was interested in the boy sitting one seat in front of her. Arnold. She crumpled an edge of her paper into a ball, put it her mouth and aimed for the back of his head. He turned instantly and she gave her best scowl._

_"What?"_

_"Stop Helga."_

_"I'm not doing anything, Football head." She hissed._

He turned away from her and back to the teacher. She grinned as she turned her attention back to the notebook in front of her. Scribbling Mrs. Arnold Shortman into her notebook over and over again until the bell rang.

Helga spent most of the day reading Robert Frost poems with her students as she started her favorite unit, poetry. She had them each write a poem for the rest of the class period and hand them in. While she had a break before her last two classes of the day, she once again sat in her car, bottle of water in the cup holder and her high-heeled shoes off. She leaned back in the chair and put her feet on the console and started to read the poems of seventh graders. Most of them were about food, friends, and video games. The assignment was to write about something of meaning to you and she was starting to feel like it was Thanksgiving all over again with all the "I'm thankful for my friends" poems she was getting. She sighed and put the stack of papers down before she closed her eyes.

She heard a crash next to her and jolted awake. Across the parking lot was a courtyard and the students could sit there during their lunch periods. Usually this was about the time the 7th graders had lunch and she could see some of her students sitting on the picnic benches, giggling and showing each other their cell phones and IPods. The one thing that she noticed was the old oak tree that sat on the edge of the courtyard and underneath sat Talia. She wasn't facing the other students or tormenting them like she usually did. She sat with her knees curled up to her chest on the opposite side of the tree facing a metal face and staring off into the distance. Helga kept her attention focused on the girl as she watched her head sink into her lap. She was shaking from sobbing, or at least that's what it looked like. But in almost an instant, her head sprang up as Helga noticed Elliot on the other side of the tree. The girl started to yell and punched the fence before storming away while the boy looked on in pure confusion, but he attempted to chase after her. Helga stole a quick glance at the clock and slammed the car door shut, leaving the papers in her car. She had Talia and Elliot in her last period class so she would have to wait until then.

"Class, we're starting poetry today!" A couple groans. She expected this.

Last period of the day on a Friday was always the roughest for Helga. They kept moving around in their seats waiting for the bell to ring and let them go home for an hour and a half. She handed out copies of the Robert Frost poem, stopping each desk. She noticed Elliot sitting in the fourth row, closest to the window with Talia behind him, laying her head on the desk. After a few grueling minutes of attempting to finish reading, she assigned their poetry assignment and the children set out for work. She decided that this class period, she was going to have some of them read out loud. After a half hour of sitting in silence while pencils wrote on the lined papers in front of them, Helga asked the class to read out loud.

"How about we start with…"

Several students raised their hands eagerly while she kept her attention on Talia in the back row, while she seemed to be still writing.

"How about you Talia?"

She looked up at her and Helga gave her a smile. Talia looked down at her paper and back up to her. She hesitated before giving an answer.

"Can I read later, I'm not…I'm not done yet."

"Of course! Elliot, how about you?"

The bell rang after several students shared their work. They attempted to run out of the classroom.

"Excellent work today guys! Make sure you write some more this weekend!"

Talia was attempting to walk out of the room when Helga stopped her.

"Talia, can I talk to you quickly."

The girl cringed but replied.

"Am I in trouble, Miss Pataki? Because I didn't read in class?"

"No. I would like to see your poem though."

**You're angry I know this the world couldn't care less**

**You're lonely I feel this and you wish you were the best**

**No teachers or guidance**

**And you always walk alone**

The girl reached into her pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper and handed it to her. She read the first couple words quickly but slowed down. This girl was truly in pain. She put the paper down and looked up at the girl who had a worried expression in her eyes.

"Was it not good?"

"It was excellent, Talia. Very sad but very powerful."

She beckoned her to sit.

"Is there something wrong, Talia?"

The girl looked flustered as she scrambled to find the words.

"You might not have clearly stated it in your poem, but you're hurting. You're not just angry and sad, there are some complicated emotions in this."

Talia did not make a noise.

"I'm fine." She squeaked.

"You're angry and you feel like you're alone. You feel like nobody in the world is here for you and you wish that you were someone else. Someone better."

The girl looked at the floor and sniffled a few times, but didn't look up.

**You're crying at night when nobody else is home**

**Come over here and let me hold your hand and hug you darling**

"I knew that feeling before."

The girl looked at her with tears in her eye

"You did?"

"My childhood was no walk in the park. I know what it's like to try to hide how much pain you really are in."

The girl looked down at the floor again.

"There was times were I sat in my room by myself and cried all night. I couldn't tell anyone, I didn't want to tell anyone because it would ruin me. I had a reputation to uphold. "

"Does it get better?"

**I promise you that it won't always feel this bad**

"I promise that it does. It's something you have to realize on your own, though."

"What were you like when you were 13?"

**There are so many things I want to say to you**

"When I was 13? I was a mess…."

Helga paused. Did she really want to tell this thirteen-year-old girl everything that happened in her past? She wasn't entirely sure. But one look into Talia's deep green eyes and she knew that she had to say something.

**You're the girl I used to be**

"I was a bully. I made fun of the other kids, I was a tomboy, and I liked baseball and boxing. I didn't let people know that I was hurting because if they did, I'd get treated differently. I didn't want any pity. I just wanted to live."

"Were you lonely?"

"My parents weren't the greatest. It was okay when I was younger; it got worse when I got older. I was glad I was lucky and got out."

"I only have my dad. He's…usually gone."

"What happened to your mother?"

"She…left…when I was eight. My dad hasn't been the same since."

"How so?"

"He's depressed. He drinks a lot, he doesn't really work. He collects unemployment and used to get money from my mom since he has full custody. She stopped sending money a couple years ago."

**You little heartbroken thirteen year old me**

"I never knew your life has been that way. I can understand why you feel alone. But there has to be someone that can make you feel better."

"There is someone."

Helga smiled.

"Let me guess. The spitballs, the paper airplanes, the constant teasing all mean something…" The little girl blushed.

"Is it obvious?" Helga laughed.

"You really like Elliot, don't you?

Talia smiled.

"I do."

"What do you like about him?"

"He's always been nice to me…the first time we met…"

Helga wanted to pay attention to what the girl was saying but felt herself thinking about Arnold. It had been so long since she had even heard from him. Her heart broke the tiniest bit, but she turned her attention back to Talia.

**You're laughing but you're hiding**

**God I know that trick too well**

"You seem so different than the way you act when others see you. Laughing and teasing to make the pain go away. It only works for so long. Maybe Elliot caught onto that."

"He did?"

"I know that someone in my past did."

"Who?"

"His name was Arnold, I had been in love with him since the day we met…"

**You forget that I've been you and now I'm just a shell**

_Helga Pataki, age three, walked the dark and rainy streets alone on her way to her first day of preschool. A dog stole her lunchbox, she was covered in mud and she was about ready to cry as the rain kept falling on her head and she could hear the sound of thunder in the distance. Until she couldn't feel the rain anymore and instead saw a big yellow umbrella over her head. A miniature sun during this miserable day. She looked at the little boy holding the umbrella._

"_Hi. Nice bow."_

"_Huh?"_

"_I like your bow cause it's pink like your pants."_

_She watched him walk through the door into the preschool and she watched him at the window, a huge grin on her face and sighed happily into the windowpane. He was perfect._

"You mean you were in love with this kid and never told him?"

"I told him. Once. He…never responded. He just kind of ignored it…"

_Helga Pataki, age nine, had just finished saving the neighborhood from being torn down by Scheck Enterprises and watched the grin on Arnold's face at his success. It hadn't been too long ago since she admitted on the top of the roof of the FTI building that she had been in love with him and kissed him with all of her might. She would occasionally touch her lips and blush. She watched the bus driver kiss the love of his life. She smiled but quickly frowned as he turned her. _

"_Pretty crazy day." She blushed._

"_Yeah, we said a lot of nutty things up there."_

"_Yeah."_

"_Yeah…um…about all that stuff I said, Arnold…I…I mean… it was crazy back there…"_

_What was she doing? There was no possible way she was going to get out of this. She kissed him for god's sake!_

"_Yeah with all the excitement we just…kinda…"_

"_Got carried away?"_

"_You didn't really mean all that, did you? You don't really love me, right?"_

"_Right."_

_Was she off the hook? Everything could go back to the way it was?_

"_You were caught up in the heat of the moment, right?"_

"_Right!"_

_A miracle._

"_You actually hate me, don't you?" She scowled._

"_Of course I hate you, you stupid football head, and don't you ever forget it! Ever!"_

"_Okay." _

_She stormed off in the opposite direction and when she was out of sight. She screamed and jumped around in happiness. She could still hide everything._

"Miss Pataki?" She stopped her memory and turned back to the girl sitting at her desk.

"Yes?"

"You never told him again."

"I never could."

"Why?"

"I…I'm not sure."

"Do you think I should tell Elliot?"

"Tell him when you're ready. Not because I told you to. It was a mistake for me to not tell him again. I'm single and I'm almost 27. I'm alone and just kind of empty."

**I promise I love you and everything will work out fine**

"Are you ever going to tell Arnold?"

"If I see him again someday, maybe I will."

"Then maybe I'll tell Elliot, when I'm ready."

"Good. Everything will work out if you let it."

Talia got up from the seat and slung the backpack over her shoulder.

"Thank you, Miss Pataki."

"I'm always here, remember that."

The girl smiled.

"I will."

"One more thing."

Talia turned back to her teacher.

**Don't try to grow up yet**

**Oh just give it some time**

"You don't have to give up the act you have going. But maybe tone it down a little?"

She grinned.

"I can't guarantee that."

Helga laughed.

"Give it some time. You'll get used to the idea…."

**Oh don't lose your passion or the fighter that's inside you**

"Your poem is really good, by the way. I think you have a real talent for it."

"Thanks, Miss Pataki."

"Have a good weekend, Talia."

**You're the girl I used to be**

Talia walked out the door and left Helga in an empty classroom to collect her thoughts. Talia wasn't really the troublemaker that people kept claiming that she was. Talia was her; a memory of the past catching up with her.

**The pissed off complicated thirteen year old me.**

One version of herself that she knew she could fix.

* * *

And that is the end of Chapter 14.

Soooooo. If you don't feel like hearing about any of my stuff, scroll down a bit and you can get some story updates. Go ahead. Ignore the Italics below.

_As for my stuff, I'm SO SO SORRY that I haven't been update. I mean it's been more than a month. Le gasp. But I'm in some new college clubs, being a broadcasting major and stuff, not a lot of time for writing. And if you are questioning me because I'm in a creative writing class, my answer is...I can not do two things at once. D: So I am truly sorry. My semester ends in 5 weeks and then my Christmas break will be full of updates. Enough that it will probably be almost weekly. YAYYYYY!_

So if you scrolled down, shame on you. Only kidding. **Story update time!**

Mission Forever- About that. That will probably not continue for a LONGGGGG while. (Don't kill me!) It's just I'm not as inspired to write this one as I am/with my newer piece/Songs/IWBTCA. So I'm not sure if it will get done. Sorry fans. :\

Newer Piece- Once these five weeks are over, a short story will be going up called Fighter. Whoo. I have mentioned it before and now it's going up live. Considering that THAT is the actual piece I have been attempting to work on in creative writing. I just have to make it Hey Arnold like and then INTERNET.

Songs- This is the fun one. I have decided to hold a small contest. This next chapter will be Chapter 15. Jeeze. 15 chapters. Never thought I'd get there. But since it is 15 and my second favorite number, (My favorite number is 30, if I get to there, there will be an EVEN BIGGER CONTEST) I thought I'd hold a little writing contest. But what you win? Hmmm...if you are interested, **the winner gets to write part of a short story for Songs of Hillwood with me for Chapter 15 AND gets to pick the song and get the sneak preview for next chapter**! (Not stoked? Well fine, here's more.) The winner also **receives a special mention in my newest piece "Fighter" with an original character that they created! **(Hope that gets some interest!)

_**Guidelines:**_

_You need to send me a link to the song. (You can contact me through private message here or on Tumblr. My tumblr is katehems dot Tumblr dot com)_

_You must also submit the lyrics to the song plus some of your writing with the song. Make your own version of Songs of Hillwood chapter and send it to me! I love commenting on other people's writing and I **WILL** send back comments if you want them._

_You must submit your writing before the end of the month in order for it to count!_

Easy enough, right? What are you waiting for? Start writing!

Hope you enjoyed chapter 14 and I hope to see some entries soon!

-Kate


	15. Helga

**Disclaimer: I still don't own anything. **

Well hello, hello, hello. Le gasp. It is my triumphant return to writing after about 2 or so months of dealing with finals and all that garbage and since my winter break is about to come to an end, I thought one of my New Year's resolutions would be to get back into writing weekly. Cause I took a lot of breaks towards the end there. I can't guarantee it being weekly but I will certainly try.

On that note, I decided to do something a little different with Chapter 15. (Dear god, 15 chapters.)

This story is called Helga and it is based off a song called "Elizabeth" by Trading Yesterday.

I decided to not put the lyrics in the song this time because Elizabeth gets mentioned a lot in the song and it wouldn't really make any sense. Plus this is actually one of my creative writing assignments from last semester that I turned into a Helga and Arnold story. (Yea, I know, lazy.)

But I think you all will really like it. Hopefully. If you want to listen to the song while reading the story, it might work a little better. Maybe. It's up to you. Go to Youtube and look up Elizabeth by Trading Yesterday and then read.

But without further ado, **here is Chapter 15!**

And make sure to check out some author's notes down at the bottom for some important information. That is if you want too. :)

* * *

Her name was Helga.

I fell head over heels for her.

I met her in Central Park in the middle of one of the worst thunderstorms that I had been in since I moved to New York. From living in a small town in Virginia called Hillwood to moving to the Big City, it was still a lot to take in. There were a lot more people, a lot more cars, a lot more buildings. It terrified me. I came to New York with an opportunity to teach music to junior high school students. It was my first teaching job out of the state and the concept of living on my own in a new place was something I hadn't been expecting to happen. I was used to the small town atmosphere, the ability to know everyone in town by name and have them know yours. It was familiar and safe where as New York City was dangerous and a little unnerving to a guy like me. I was having a little trouble making my way across the park. It didn't help that I had no idea where I was going, my umbrella had been blown out of my hands and I was soaking wet.

And there she was, sitting on a park bench, feeding pigeons in the middle of a thunderstorm.

"Hey, you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just you know, taking a walk."

She turned her attention back to the pigeon. I'll admit I'm a little shy when it comes to women. I am not very social, I get too involved in my work, I can't even look at a girl without stammering over my words, but this wasn't just any ordinary girl. I learned that the hard way.

"You know it's raining right?"

"I hadn't noticed…do you want to sit?"

"I…I…"

She looked me straight in the eyes. That's when I noticed how bright and blue hers were.

"I promise I won't bite."

I sat beside her and watched her whistling to the pigeon to catch its attention. A simple whistle to a normal person, but a weird little song in my ears. It was quick, high-pitched at the peaks, but with every note, it sounded like the birds themselves. She was mysterious that was for sure, obviously a local from the way that she talked, a tint of the New York accent that I kept hearing as I walked down the street to work each morning. She was someone that wouldn't fit in with the countless numbers of businessmen, socialites and starving artists that flooded the streets on a daily basis. She was dressed in a white dress with red polka dots, probably not expecting the rain that was currently falling on their heads or maybe not even caring. She was in her own little world.

"You're staring at me."

"No… I'm not."

"You're blushing."

I turned away from her and she giggled.

"I'm sorry, it's just cute."

"Cute?"

"Yea, it's cute. Is that a bad thing?"

"Well, no…it's not…it's just—"

"Just what?"

"You're different."

"That's not really answering the question, you know."

"I was just stating…"

"The obvious?"

"Yea…"

She smiled, the edges of her lips curled slightly and for once, I actually felt like I could that I could trust her, feel comfortable around her and maybe, just maybe I'd be willing to let my guard down to get a little closer to her. Then again, I had just met this girl only a few minutes ago. I couldn't just jump into something like that after a few moments.

"What brings you to New York?"

I kept my eyes on her as she turned her attention to the bright red bag next to her and pulled a pink notebook out and hastily wrote on the lined pages that were getting soaked.

"Are you a writer?"

"Answer my question first."

"I work here."

"Let me guess, one of those businessmen on Wall Street."

I looked down at the soaked and completely ruined tie and suit jacket that I had forced myself into earlier this morning. It didn't even feel like it was even the same day to me, somehow time had just stopped. It didn't even feel like it was raining anymore. She was starting to have some effect on me.

"I actually had an interview, but not a businessman. I was never good at math. I'm a teacher."

"What subject?"

"Music."

"I love music, I loved playing the guitar when I was little, but I liked writing music and writing in general more."

"I'm guessing that's where the notebook comes in."

I silently cursed myself, _of course that's where the notebook came in, you dumb idiot._

"Yea, that's where the notebook comes in."

"Have you gotten looked at by a publisher for any of your ideas?"

"Yea, I usually get turned down though, it's not usually very good in their minds."

"I doubt that."

She smiled again.

"I didn't think someone like you would be brave enough to be a teacher."

"Brave enough?"

"No offense! You're just really…"

"Shy?"

"Yea, really shy."

"I've been told."

She grabbed the strap of her bag and slid it over her shoulder and stood back up, her dress clinging to her body, her shoes completely soaked, blonde hair curling from the rain and sticking to her face but still the warm smile on her face. I couldn't help but return it.

"It was nice to meet you…"

"Arnold."

"Arnold. You look like an Arnold. Maybe I'll see you again, Arnold."

"Maybe you will…"

She laughed while turning and walking away back toward the crowded streets and back into reality before I realized that I never learned her name.

"Wait!"

She quickly turned her head.

"I never learned your name!"

"Helga!"

She continued to walk into the crowds but not without waving quickly back at me. I stood frozen in my spot, standing in the rain, soaking wet but not even attempting to care. I hadn't even bothered to learn anything about her but her name and the bright red bag that she carried, the pink notebook tucked safely inside and I was instantly starting to regret it but I couldn't move even if I wanted to. I just watched her leave. The walk with almost a skip in her step, the way she span around quickly in the rain when she thought I couldn't see her and then she vanished into the crowds of people who wouldn't stop to feed pigeons in the middle of a thunderstorm or carry a bright red bag over their shoulder or wear a white and red polka dotted dress in the middle of a thunderstorm and not care.

I can't tell you that I didn't go to that same spot in the park for the next two weeks, hoping to see her kneeling at the end of the bench, whistling for a flock of pigeons to come closer. I can't tell you that I didn't kept thinking I saw her in the crowded streets, the long blonde hair and the bright blue eyes and that every single face kept making believe that I would see her again, and every time I was disappointed. I can't tell you that I didn't sit in the middle of a thunderstorm and let the rainfall soak my clothes but not care even the slightest.

I can tell you that I regret not stopping her from walking away.

Her name was Helga.

I fell head over heels for her and I never saw her again.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and if you want to see me write some more, (My goal is to get up to 50 eventually!) please, please, **PLEASE** get on my back about it. Cause I will forget to write. Honestly. Send me messages on here on on Livejournal. Which reminds me...

**I have a live journal account! Huzzah!**

Which means that some of my writing will also be on there, if you really like reading it. Here's what is going to be on the new account.

** I Will Blow the Cold Away will remain on this site.**

**Songs of Hillwood will move to Livejournal but it will be published on both LiveJournal and .**

**Mission Forever **(if I continue it) **will be moved to my Livejournal account.**

**My newest little story will also debut on my LiveJournal.**

****So if you like what you are reading, come check me out over there. Same username and everything to make it easier. T**he site probably won't be up until at least February though since I have to transfer everything.** So everything for now, will be here. By at least Chapter 20, everything will mostly be on my livejournal.

**That's all from me for right now. Sorry I've been gone so long. :(**

**Thanks for reading!**


	16. Girl On TV

**Disclaimers: Why don't I own cool things. D:**

Chapter 16 is...close enough to a week. Uhm. Let's go with that. But oh god college again. It starts back up on Tuesday and I'm not ready. As per usual. But still determined to write! I promise!

So as you will look through the story...go ahead, skim real quick... **THERE ARE NO LYRICS AT ALL**. Surprise! It's a twist! It's a new possibly permanent twist. Not quite sure yet.

**Chapter 16 is based on the song by LFO** (Oh glorious boy bands of my childhood.) called** Girl on TV**.

_Heres a link: watch?v=Y4iGDSjOpXc _(Or look up Girl on TV on Youtube if the link doesn't work. Links hate me here.)

I suggest listening to the song first, **THEN** reading the story. Just so you have an idea. Kinda sorta.

Hope you enjoy! And make sure to read the author's notes at the end! :)

* * *

For Arnold, it was another crappy night of serving drinks to snobby celebrities. Tonight happened to be a celebration for one of the biggest soap operas on television. All My Secrets had reached its 200th episode and was celebrating the only way these celebrities knew how, gloriously grand and also rather expensive.

Arnold was a bartender who worked for the catering service that happened to be in charge for the night while his usual partner in crime, a brunette named Jackie was a waitress. He tried not to focus his attention on the stars that seemed to be filling up the room.

"Hey Arnold, check it out. It's her." He didn't even bother looking up.

"Her who?"

"You don't know who she is? That's Helga Pataki, better known as Emma in All My Secrets."

"Sorry, Jackie, I've never seen…"

The girl beside him huffed.

"Do you own a television?"

"No need. I'm always here. Stuck with you."

"And it's a pleasure really. Are you actually looking at this girl?"

He shot her a look.

"Do I have to?"

"For once in your life, just spare me your attitude."

"For once in my life, I'll grant your wish. Where is she?"

"Blonde hair in the green dress by the door."

And for the first time in his life, he was glad that he decided to look up from the bar.

The "girl" as Jackie described her, was something that beautiful couldn't even cover. In fact, he could even find the words in his head to describe her. She turned her attention away from the swarms of people surrounding her and looked straight at him. She smiled and turned her head away. Jackie elbowed him.

"So…"

He tore his attention away from the crowd.

"She's cute."

"She's cute? That's it?"

"Yea. That's it."

"Dear lord Arnold, this woman was named one of the hottest women in television."

"…She's alright…" She was so much more than all right…but he couldn't tell her that.

"Is this about Chrissy?"

"Why bring her up?"

"It's been 8 months Arnold, you're allowed to look at another girl."

"It's…"

Before he could respond, Jackie elbowed him again.

"Would you stop doing that?"

"She's coming this way!"

"Your point?"

"Don't mess this up, Arnold."

Jackie grabbed her tray and walked into the crowd as the girl in the green dress walked towards the bar and rested her purse on the table.

"Can I get a vodka martini, please?"

Arnold nodded and turned away from her as she continued to speak.

"You look clearly thrilled to be here."

He rested the drink in front of her.

"A job's a job."

"Not a big celebrity guy, are you?"

"What makes you say that?"

"The fact that you didn't just drool all over the counter when you saw me."

"Sounds like you've got a bit of an ego."

The woman next to her gasped but Helga laughed, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.

"Sounds like you're not afraid to speak your mind."

He started to walk towards the other end of the counter when she decided to talk again.

"You never answered my question." He turned to look at her.

"I'm not."

"Not going to answer my question…"

"I'm not a big celebrity guy."

"Do you know who I am?"

"Only because someone told me. Well, more like yelled at me." She laughed.

"Who am I then?"

"You're Helga. Helga Pataki. Star of All My Secrets."

Helga looked at the nametag.

"And you're Arnold. Arnold the bartender."

"Oh no, my name is Frank." She smirked.

"You forget so quickly that I'm an actress and can pick up on sarcasm rather quickly."

"My mistake."

"So Arnold the bartender, I'm sure I'll be seeing you around here again. That is if you are willing to serve me."

"All part of the job."

"Your dedication is astounding." He smiled.

"So I'm not allowed to use sarcasm and you are?"

"Yes."

"And why is that?"

"I'm the actress and you're not," She winked. "See you around Arnold the bartender."

She touched his hand lightly before disappearing into the crowd.

_Huh. Amazing._

As the party started to wind down around 2am, Arnold sat by the bar, scanning the room for her when Jackie appeared in front of him.

"So how was your night?"

"Made 14 hundred in tips. So not bad."

"14 hundred? I don't make that much in tips in 2 weeks. Someone must have really liked you."

"Yea, I guess."

"So did you talk to her?"

"Talk to who?"

"Helga! Did you talk to Helga?"

"Oh. Well yea, sorta."

"Sorta, I watched the two of you, she frequented that bar."

"Girl likes her alcohol."

"Girl likes her bartender. Must have made a good impression."

"Maybe."

_She sure made an impression on me._

He started to wipe down the counter in front of him as Jackie sat in the stool in front of him. She sighed.

"Maybe?"

"I don't know, I barely know her. Besides she's…"

"Incredible, talented, smart, beautiful…?"

"Famous."

Jackie huffed.

"Well she is, Jack."

"Your point? She was interested. And I mean INTERESTED."

"In a guy like me…. A bartender who barely can maintain a job let alone a girlfriend."

"I wish you would stop blaming yourself for that."

"It's not that easy."

Arnold finished cleaning the bar and locked everything back up, sticking the keys into his pocket. He followed Jackie out the front doors around 3 am.

"Chrissy was stupid and broke up with you."

"Since I didn't obviously have my life together."

"Does anyone after college?"

"I'll see you later."

"See you."

Arnold turned to walk in the other direction as Jackie called back out to him.

"Hey Arnold?"

"What?"

"Just think about it."

He watched the brunette girl walk towards her car before he turned back around and got into his own. As he turned ignition, he breathed a heavy sigh. Not only for the very long night being over, but also over the last couple words that Jackie had said.

"Just think about it."

Problem was that he couldn't stop thinking about her.

Arnold rolled over in his bed as his roommates decided to crank up the TV. He lived with some of his best friends in college in a crowded apartment. He had thought about getting his own place at one time, but he barely had enough money to pay the rent here. He grumbled as he rolled out of bed and opened the door to the living room. The news was on and his roommates, Gerald and Sid were crowded around the television, Gerald with a laptop in his lap, furiously crunching numbers. Sid with the remote in his hand, about to flip the channel. At that moment, an image of her flashed on the screen.

"Wait, let me here this."

"You wanna watch the news? Since when?"

"Just turn it up."

He did as he was told and Arnold crashed onto the living room chair beside him, staring intently at the screen.

"In entertainment news, All My Secrets star Helga Pataki may just be making her silver screen debut."

"That's right Ryan, Miss Pataki is being tapped to play the lead role in the newest movie for Dennis and Williams Studios, based off the book "Adorement" by Sarah Leon."

"Pataki is playing Scarlett Anderson, a young writer who witnesses a grisly crime and decides to write about it."

"While the movie isn't expected until next year, shooting for "Adorement" starts this weekend. Best of luck to her."

"And that's it for today's newscast. I'm Ryan Long and for my partner Ellie Carter, we wish you a great rest of your day."

Sid flipped the channel.

"What was so important about that? Some soap opera star got in the movies. Big deal."

Gerald looked up from his computer.

"Hey, All My Secrets is one of the biggest soaps on right now," They stared at him, "Phoebe's a fan, alright?"

"Yea, sure." Arnold smirked.

"I still don't get the big deal. Sure, she's hot but what about it?"

Arnold grabbed the remote from his hand and turned off the tv.

"Hey! What's the big idea?"

"I met her last night."

"You met her last night?" Gerald asked, intrigued.

"At work. I bartended the All My Secrets party last night."

"Met her as in saw her…"

"No I met her. We talked."

There was a long pause before both of his roommates busted out into laughter.

"Yea sure Arnold, a big TV star… just decided to talk to a bartender last night." Sid roared.

"Just some ordinary guy…" Gerald gasped between breaths.

"I'm serious!"

"Yea, and I'm a supermodel." Sid snickered.

"Do your poses Sid!"

Sid jumped up from the couch and strutted in front of the TV, sending Gerald into another fit of laughter while Arnold rolled his eyes and threw a pillow at him.

"Forget it."

"Aww c'mon Arnold, we were just joking around."

"Yea, c'mon Arnold, tell us the story."

Arnold grumbled.

"Fine. You guys gotta promise not to laugh."

"Promise." Gerald replied, putting his laptop on the table in front of him.

"I can't guarantee anything."

"Sid…"

"Alright, alright fine…promise."

"Here's how it started…"

After carefully telling each detail of what happened the night before, Gerald and Sid tried their best to keep their straightest faces.

"I can't keep my mind off her. She is mysterious, funny, obviously talented, she had a good sense of humor."

"Boy howdy, look's like Arnold's got a little crush."

"And on one unattainable lady…mmm mmm mmm… you've got it bad."

"Yea, I think I actually might."

It had been two weeks since the night he had met Helga Pataki and Arnold found himself behind another counter, mixing drinks for loud celebrities who wanted nothing to do with the hired help. He mixed a Long Island Iced Tea together and set it on the table beside a rather cranky older man who huffed at him before turning back to the woman he was talking to and walking away.

"Yea, thanks." He mumbled.

For 11:30, the party wasn't as active as it should have been, which was surprising to him. The guests were lounging around white decorated tables while waitresses flitted in between the guests with appetizers and tiny blue drinks served in tiny martini glasses. The paparazzi were leaning against the windows outside, considering that no one seemed to be leaving or entering the party. Well, at least for the next few seconds before everyone outside seemed to scramble around and lights were flashing. He heard faint mumbles that seemed to be getting louder as the star must have just exited their car. It was for a brief moment that he swore he could hear the name. Pataki.

He felt his insides flip as the doors opened and in walked a blonde figure in a silver dress, the cameras flashing behind her and shouting her name. A woman approached her with a warm smile and brief hug that the blonde figure returned. So she makes another appearance. He smiled to himself, but quickly brushed the smile away as she approached the counter. As she rested the counter, he noticed that it was not with the brilliant smile on her face when they first met, but tired and cloudy eyes. Someone that had been upset before, almost to the point that they were holding back the tears and he didn't say a word. He fixed the martini and put it in front of her. As the glass made a small sound against the counter, she lifted her head and there returned, for a brief moment, the spark in her eyes that he had noticed when they first met.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" She smiled.

"I'd say sore eyes." He grabbed a glass beside him and started to clean it.

"You know how to flatter a woman. My goodness, I'm speechless." She leaned her elbows on the counter, resting her head on her hands.

"You look miserable."

"Well, at least you're blunt." He smiled.

"Are you okay?"

"No, no not especially, Arnold the bartender."

"I'm impressed you remembered my name."

"I can't forget someone I just met yesterday."

"I figured a big shot celebrity wouldn't remember a outsider like me. Just a bartender, you know."

"You seem a lot more than that."

"You just met me yesterday." She rested her hand on his and he looked back into her eyes.

"Your face was a face I wasn't planning on forgetting."

He felt his face get warmer and he brushed the compliment away and took his hand out of hers.

"You never answered my question."

"I was hoping to distract you with compliments so we would never get to my problem."

"I live on problems. You have no idea how many life stories I hear behind here."

"So bartenders are good at that. I thought it was only the movies."

"Depends on the guy."

She picked up the glass, drank it and slammed it back on the counter.

"Hit me."

He poured more into the glass.

"So…your problem, Miss Hot Shot."

"I wish you'd stop calling me that."

"You are a hot shot though. A big time celebrity. Living the dream of every woman."

"Maybe I don't want to anymore."

Her head landed with a soft thud against the counter as she sighed.

"What do you want to do?"

"What am I saying…acting isn't really the problem. I love acting. Hell, I've worked damn hard to get where I am today. But…"

"But what?"

"You don't wanna hear some stupid problem." He smiled and lifted her head.

"I'd rather fix your problems than his."

He pointed to a fat balding man who at that moment managed to fall face first into the counter. She giggled.

"So what is it Pataki. Not enough pay for your acting? Stalker problems? A desire to do something dramatic but your agent won't let you?"

"Something close to the last one."

"Alright, shoot. Give me the dramatics." He leaned against the counter while she sat up and leaned an arm against the counter.

"I met someone."

Arnold felt his heart shatter but continued to smile.

"Some big movie star guy? How bout an athlete with huge muscles and the brains of a kindergartener? A rock star with a bad boy side?" She laughed.

"Just a normal guy."

"How normal are we talking?"

"Well, I met him two weeks ago. I met him at something similar to this. You know a kind of across the room kind of thing. I looked at him and pretty much forgot how I was and was too nervous to walk over there and face him."

"Sounds nerve-wracking." He grinned as she lightly slapped him.

"I'm serious!"

"Alright, alright, go on."

"I walked over to him, we talked most of the night. He was funny, sarcastic but not in an overbearing kind of way, he was definitely handsome."

"So a good looking guy you met at a party with a good sense of humor. Nice. And what are you gonna do about it?"

"I haven't stopped thinking about him for the past couple weeks and I happen to tell my agent that I don't want to be dating these "hot shots", as you call them, that I just want someone normal."

"You really meant someone normal, didn't you?"

"Why wouldn't I? Someone with a normal life and likes me not because I'm famous and attractive, just for me."

"Why aren't you allowed?"  
"My image would be ruined."

"Your image looks fine to me," She blushed, "I don't see anything wrong in dating a normal guy like that. Just…go for it."

"You're right. Screw the rules. I'm going after him," He smiled as best as he could, "Thank you, Arnold."

"You're welcome. But…"

"What?"

"Tell me more about this normal guy."

"You really wanna know?"

"More than anything." He mumbled.

"Hmm?"

"Yea. I wanna know."

"I met him at the All My Secrets party, you know. He worked there."

"So I know him?" She smiled.

"You can say that."

Arnold looked at her with a concerned expression, while he quickly scanned the room and mentally searched through his brain of the guys that could have been there that night as she grabbed her bag and stood up.

"I'm being summoned."

Arnold looked at the guests sitting at a round table, waving her over.

"Sure, your friends are waiting."

"Thank you again Arnold."

"My pleasure."

She turned and walked away. He turned his attention to the empty martini glass that she had been previously holding and removed it. As he reached for the cocktail napkin he had placed underneath, he had noticed the handwriting on one of the sides.

There was a simple note.

_For thinking you are so on top of things and people, you can be very dense sometimes, Dear Arnold the bartender. - H_

And underneath the note…was a phone number.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

And that is the end of Chapter 16! Hope you liked it.

So some changes, as per usual.

After literally a week on Livejournal, I looked at it, went eh, and then decided I liked fanfiction better. Therefore...

**EVERYTHING WILL BE POSTED ON HERE. YAHOO!**

Because Livejournal hates me. Yeah.

And now, more changes...

**I'm putting Mission Forever on hiatus.**

Don't hate me. :( I just had literally** ZERO** ideas for this story, except working in a partnership. That's right, I'm making this into a potential collab piece. With who, you ask? That I am not sure of. So yeah. Probably not gonna see any updates on that for a while. Once I get a partner who is interested in writing with me and I like their writing style (I have several authors in mind...), then we'll see. Hopefully sooner rather than later. I shall update you when I have a partner though. Or you'll know when the second chapter of that comes up.

Other than that...Chapter 17 will hopefully be up by next Sunday and it's **NOT** a Helga/Arnold story. **GASP**.

Here's some lyrics from next week's song...

**And we don't know how we got into this mess, is it God's test?**

** Someone help us cause we're doing our best**

See you next week!


	17. For the First Time

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not the characters, not the song. Yeah.**_

**Hey guys!**

So yes, I have some explaining to do. But I will explain it in the author's notes. I promise.

If you haven't guessed, Chapter 17 is called **For the First Time** based of a song by the **Script**.

Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

Sitting in Elby's Pub late on a Tuesday night wasn't entirely what he was planning for the night. He had expected to be in his apartment, lounging on the sofa, girlfriend cuddled into his chest, her two kids asleep in the next room. A normal Tuesday night where he knew he would have to be up in the morning to go to work.

That is until he got laid off.

Sure, he was expecting some people to lose their jobs. The business was going downhill quickly and he knew that a lot of people wouldn't be needed anymore. He just didn't think it would be closing for good, meaning that absolutely everyone in the company was getting tossed into the streets.

He didn't entirely know what to do. Instead of going straight home, he found himself sitting in his favorite pub, slamming back Jack Daniels straight from the bottle until he couldn't even move, let alone remember the situation that had just happened. He attempted to keep his balance by leaning his entire body towards the edge of the counter as he lifted his glass to his lips for another taste.

He thought of his girlfriend tucked in their bed, no idea at the impending news. Smiling in her sleep, her long blonde hair spread across the pillow and her naturally tanned face towards the ceiling and she would dream of all the good things in her life after several years of hell

What was he going to tell her?

He slammed the glass on the table before slamming his head against the counter in frustration.

What was he going to do?

She sat up in bed, head against the headboard and tears in her eyes. Her two kids sleeping against her chest, curled closely towards her for safety. They ran into the room after they had heard the screaming next door. She had thrown her cell phone across the room, watching it shatter against the wall before she collapsed into the bed behind her in tears. The three of them had sat there for almost an hour before she noticed that they had fallen asleep next to them.

She sighed before looking at the clock beside her. Close to 1am. He was never this late and she reached into her pocket for her phone before she had realized that she had smashed it against the wall and cursed under her breath before picking up the shattered pieces on the carpeted floor and dumping them into the trash can. She turned her attention back to the bed to see her kids still peacefully asleep, heads now on top of each others instead of resting against their mother. She smiled and turned off the bedroom light and closed the door behind her and walked into their living room where she saw a very drunk man fiddling with the keys outside of their front door. She unlocked it and stared at him as he wobbled back and forth throughout the room before landing on the couch with a soft thud.

"Where have you been?" He murmured something and she sat beside him.

"Baby are you okay?" Still a muffled response before he leaned his head against her shoulder and sighed.

"I got laid off." He grumbled.

She froze as she watched his eyes sink towards the floor in shame.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Factory is closing down for good. They made the announcement today. I've got two weeks left to find another job."

"Two weeks? That's not enough time…"

"I know. I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"Dean, I just want to help you with the kids. And I just don't know where I'm gonna find another job."

She kissed the top of his forehead and pulled the faded green baseball cap off his head.

"You have been so great to me. To us. The past couple months have been a miracle. Sure it isn't the most glamorous. But I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

"You promise?" She smiled.

"I promise. We are gonna get through this."

The next morning made it hard for her to get up as she scrambled around the house, attempting to get the kids ready for school. He had left early in the morning, like usual, to go to a job that she knew wouldn't be there in two weeks time. But she was going to make the best of it. She just had too. As she sent the kids out the front door, lunches packed, homework done, she noticed the newspaper sitting on the kitchen counter and noticed the big red circles around the job openings. He must have stayed up all night looking for a new job.

As she scanned the job section of the newspaper, she noticed the job for an open nanny position to a last name that she remembered from her past. Gammelthorpe. Thaddeus Gammelthorpe had been the craziest kid that she had ever met in her life back at P.S. 118 and even growing up. After she had left in the eighth grade, she had no idea what he or any of the rest of her old gang was like now. Well, except for one. She didn't even know what Rhonda, one of her best friends, was even up to. She hadn't told anyone that she was back in Hillwood, mostly because their apartment was on the poorer side of town and she knew not many people she grew up with would be around there now. Staring at that ad in the newspaper, she grabbed the kitchen phone off of its pedestal and dialed the number.

"Hello I'm calling to see if the job for a nanny is still available?"

She smiled.

"I'd love to set up an interview."

She scrambled for a pad of paper and a pen.

"Today at 2 sounds fantastic. The address is 1793 Maple Grove Lane. Yes, I understand. Thank you."

She danced around the apartment in glee. Cause hey, who knows, maybe some luck was finally heading her way.

Slumping onto his stool along the factory line, he knew his last few days were going to be nothing but pain. He had to look for a job and soon. He wanted to make sure his family was happy and safe. After the experiences that they had been through in the past couple months, he knew that he never wanted to have the same things happened to her and her family again…

_It was snowing heavily on a bitterly cold December night when he managed to get himself home after a few hours of starting his car in the parking lot. He got into the house and dumped his backpack onto the counter, flipping the television on to attempt to catch the 6 o clock news when he heard a noise outside the front door, little, almost quiet voices. He crossed the room slowly and opened the door to a woman wearing a little amount of clothing for the brutally cold weather and her two children, both hiding behind her legs in fear, one of them trembling from the cold. They walked forward into the porch light when he realized exactly who the woman was._

"_Nadine?"_

"_Hello Sid."_

"_What are you doing here?"_

"_I…I don't really wanna talk about it."_

"_Oh…well…come on in. It's freezing out there. Who are these guys?"_

"_They're my kids, Sid."_

"_You have kids? You're younger than I am. And he looks at least 10."_

"_Leo is 10 and Emma is 6. I had Leo at 15. It…was rough after I left Hillwood. My parents deciding to live in that hippie commune didn't do me much good."_

"_Nice to meet you guys."_

_Leo didn't look at him, instead staring around the apartment in wonder while Emma stared up to him and gave a small smile before yawning loudly. He smiled. She looked just like her mom, that blonde hair, those blue eyes, that smile. She was just paler than her mother and with freckles lining her cheeks instead of the dark tan that her brother had. _

"_They look tired. They can sleep in my room."_

"_Are you sure?"_

"_Yea."_

_He walked the two kids down the hallway as their mother stayed in the other room and opened the door. Leo climbed on the bed and laid across it while his sister curled into him. In an instant, both kids were asleep as he closed the door._

"_Are they asleep?" He nodded._

"_Thank you for this."_

"_It's no problem, Dean." _

"_I really appreciate this, you know." She smiled._

"_I know. That's what friends do. Just…" She looked at him with sad eyes._

"_What?"_

"_Why me?"_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Not too sound mean, but why me Nadine? You didn't say goodbye when you left."_

"_I couldn't." Her head dropped to look at the floor._

"_Why?"_

"_I couldn't say goodbye to someone I…" He looked at her. _

"_You liked?"_

_She looked up at him and she smiled bashfully. And then everything had made sense._

"_You were in love with me."_

"_You were one of my best friends, Sid. You were always there when no one else was. You made me feel important and I missed you like crazy when I was gone. I regretted never saying how I felt about you."_

"_Then what happened?"_

"_I was upset when I left. It led me down a path that led me to them. Two of the most beautiful children in the world."_

"_What happened to their father?" She frowned._

"_Their father left."_

"_Why would someone leave you? You're the sweetest person I know." He put an arm around her shoulder._

"_I was. Things got dark when I left Hillwood. When he left, I spent sometime with my parents. But they kicked us out after a while. Moved on with their lives after the commune shut down and didn't want anything to do with me once they finally decided to grow up. I came back to the one place that actually made me happy."_

"_How did you find me?"_

"_I looked for a while and I saw you at a supermarket down the street from Gerald Field one day and I…well I followed you home. And I knew one day, I'd come back and say the words that I never got too." _

_She sniffled quickly as he noticed the tears started to flood in her eyes and he leaned towards her and kissed her as she fidgeted quickly in her seat before leaning into the kiss herself._

"_You're safe here, Dean. You can stay here with me. The kids too." She sniffled again._

"_Thank you Sid. I…"_

"_I know." He kissed her again._

_She blushed as she curled into the side of his chest. They drank wine, told stories from their past and they fell asleep there. It was at that moment where his life truly began. _

The bell rang for the end of shift as Sid moved from his post and shuffled behind his fellow workers towards their cars. The usual drive home, occasionally sitting in spots of traffic before he would finally pull in front of the apartment and he would always smile to himself as the lights would be on and he could see the faint shadows inside. But he just couldn't be happy. He had two weeks to make something work for his family and it was starting to get to him. He opened the front door and saw the kids on the couch watching cartoons while Nadine stood in front of the stove, cooking.

"Hi. How was work?"

"It was alright." He gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Wash up okay? Dinner is almost ready."

Dinner came and went and the kids were asleep as he closed the door from reading them a book to lull them to sleep. He walked down the hallway and saw Nadine with a book in her hands and curled into one of the sides and he slid beside her.

"Hi."

"Hi." She put her book down on the floor in front of her.

"Do you remember the night I showed up at your front door?"

"I was just thinking about that night."

She pulled out a bottle of wine and two glasses on the other side of the couch and smiled.

"Where did you get that?"

"I thought we'd celebrate."

"Celebrate what? Soon we're going to be broke."

"We're gonna celebrate us. Cause no matter whether we're broke or rich, we'll always be together."

She wiped her eyes and started to cry.

"You're right. As long as I have you Dean, my life will always be happy."

"I love you, Sid. I always have and always will."

"I love you too Nadine."

She rested her head against his shoulder as they both sipped on their wine and laughed at the past. Just like the night when they were brought back together.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

So I had said I'd explain what happened. So as I was just coming off of winter break for college and about to type Chapter 17. My computer **CRASHES**. So I didn't have it up until now, so I'm so sorry! (So much my New Year's resolution right? Ugh.)

But I'm going to try to keep on a schedule now. Every Sunday there will (hopefully) be a new chapter up for Songs of Hillwood. In fact, next week is a special Songs of Hillwood. **One story **(between Chapter 1 and 17)** will be getting a second part**! Yay my first story to get a second part! And there will be plenty more chances for one of your favorites to get a second part.

Do you know what next week's will be? Here's your hint for next week's Songs of Hillwood!

**You don't know what we can see, why don't cha tell your dreams to me, fantasy will set you free**

See you next Sunday!


	18. Fantasy Will Set You Free

Hey guys!

Yea, I'm horrible at New Year's resolutions. And updating. Ugh.

**Chapter 18** is finally up after longer than a month. (My apologies.)

Like I said in Chapter 17, Chapter 18 is the second part of a previous chapter (1-17) and now here's the big reveal!

Chapter 18 is called **Fantasy Will Set You Free**, a continuation/ re-telling of ...

**MAGIC CARPET RIDE!**

That's right, Hope is making another appearance, but how? Read on to find out!

I'll try to update sooner. Hopefully.

**Enjoy Chapter 18!**

_(AN: I wrote this song using Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf. I don't own the characters, except Hope...technically...)_

_(AN: All the italics are thoughts! Bold italics with italics are battling voices. Just so you know. Thanks!)_

* * *

…_That stupid football head with his stupid goody-two shoes ways and his perfect life_…

She kicked a can across the sidewalk as she continued to walk down the street after an excruciatingly long day at school. She silently cursed the love of her life when she slammed into what felt like a brick wall. Until she realized that it wasn't something that she had crashed into, rather someone.

"Helga?"

She looked up from the sidewalk into the eyes of none other that Arnold, who had managed to get himself off the ground and stood above her, looking into her eyes with concern.

"Ar…watch where you're going, Football Head! I'd like to be able to not have to deal with your inability to walk every time that I round a corner!"

"Sorry, Helga." He scratched the back of his neck.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…just watch where you're going."

He turned and continued back down the street and she followed him with her eyes as he turned another corner and disappeared. She fell backwards and slid down the brick wall behind her with a lovesick sigh.

"Oh Arnold, can't you see just how much I love you. How crazy I get, just from the way you look at me. Weak in the knees, I tell you. Hiding everything from you, pretending I don't care, when deep inside, oh deep inside I do. My beloved…"

She heard a small hiss from her and instantly lifted a fist behind her, but felt nothing. She turned to see a small woman standing behind her with a smirk on her face. Helga didn't recognize her, since she pretty much knew everyone in this god forsaken neighborhood since she was born. She was dressed in a deep purple dress, head to toe in gold jewelry that reflected from the sun and left little lights on the sidewalk beside her. She had several other gold decals in her outfit that lined her dress and the bandanna on her head. There were long gray gurls sticking out and curling the sides of her face. But the first thing that Helga noticed were the pair of cat like yellow eyes that matched the smirk she was wearing on her face.

"In love? What a feeling, huh?"

"You know it's rude to listen in on other people's private thoughts." Helga scoffed.

"I can help you, you know."

"I don't need your help. I'm fine on my own."

The woman reached into her pocket and pulled out a small bottle.

"Here."

She pressed the vial into Helga's palm. The silver liquid in the bottle swayed back and forth as it interchanged hands. The old woman closed Helga's fingers around the bottle as Helga kept her attention at the weight in her hand before looking up at the woman. Before she could refuse, the woman spoke up.

"Drink this before you go to sleep. It only lasts one night but I'm sure you are guaranteed a surprise, my dear."

Helga opened her palm and stared at the bottle.

"Yeah, right sure, drink this and all your problems will go away, all will be solved, " Helga laughed, "Look lady…."

As Helga looked back up from the bottle, she realized that it was only her standing in the alleyway again. She turned it over in her fingers before shoving into her pocket.

"Crazy old lady."

******+_+_+_+_+kayhampster+_+_+_+**  


Helga opened her eyes to stare at her alarm clock. 10 pm. She must have fallen asleep. The TV still blaring across the room as two wrestlers jumped on top of each other, her hair was splayed across her pillow and a slight amount of drool across her lips, she managed to turn her head to the other side and stared at the jeans in a ball below her and the quick gleam of silver from one of the pockets. She reached down and pulled the vial out, sitting against the headboard, carefully watching the liquid flow from one end of the bottle to the other before popping it open. With a quick sniff, she let her curiosity get the better of her and tipped the liquid into her mouth. She gagged.

"Oh dear god. Gross."

She wiped her mouth and gagged some more before the room started to spin and she collapsed onto the bed in front of her.

**+_+_+_+_+kayhampster+_+_+_+**

Helga awoke to a light brush against her skin and heard a small flutter above her. As she opened her eyes, she gasped at the object floating above her. Colored in purples, greens, yellows and pinks, a carpet floated above her head then dashed away. She chased after it before she realized exactly where she was. Arnold's rooftop. And the window was opening. She scrambled behind one of the nearby water heaters as the window clicked open and then clicked closed. She heard footsteps against the pavement and the soft flutter of the carpet as it landed against her feet. She bent down to pick up one end and felt a pull against the other. She stepped out from the dark and looked into a pair of emerald eyes. Her heart skipped a beat, and another, but she kept her composure as she whispered hello. His eyes grew wide.

"You must be wondering how I got up here."

"I…I guess I'm a little…curious."

At that moment, she realized that he had absolutely no idea who she was.

Dense as ever, Football Head.

She moved closer to him, a smile spreading on her face.

_**Now Helga, this is a brand new start. He has no idea who you are. You can be nice! You can be passionate! You can be…you, all thanks to a stupid little…potion! That bottle from that crazy old lady was a potion? But why? Why help me?**_

She watched a bright shade of red raise on his cheeks as she continued to move towards him as he tripped backwards over each of his steps.

"You don't wanna go for a ride, do you?"

"I…I guess that…"

She whistled and jumped onto the carpet, surprising herself in the process. But confidently offered a hand to the clearly terrified boy below her. He turned towards the window and then back to her. She smiled as he again turned to the window before reaching up and putting a hand into hers and Helga felt a surge of electricity run through her body. She suppressed a sigh as she pulled him up and raced down the street, speeding by the dark horses and dim streetlights. His grip tightened on her and she giggled.

"Scared?"

"N-n-no…"

"Mhmm…I'm sure." She laughed again.

He turned to watch the movements around him and she took the time to watch his reactions, see the wind move through his hair, the lights brighten and then darken his eyes as they passed each streetlight. She sighed as he turned back to her.

"I…never asked…"

"Never asked what?" He blushed.

"Your name."

She froze a minute.

_God damn it. Smooth move Pataki, you never thought of a name. Come on; think!_

"My name…my name is…Hope. My name is Hope." She forced a smile.

"Hope."

He smiled, looking bashfully downwards. She sighed in relief.

"I'm…"

"Arnold," he looked back up at her in surprise, " I know already." He grinned.

"Oh, well then… good…I guess." She laughed

"Ever the charmer, huh?"

"You have no idea."

Another strip of red rose to his cheeks as she pulled gently on the edge of the carpet, speeding it up. The wind whipped through their hair and she turned to look at him, a grin plastered on his face. As they landed, he stood beside her as she attempted to flatten out her hair.

"Did you like it? The ride?"

"It was amazing. You're amazing."

She smiled but turned away.

"You're pretty amazing yourself, Arnold."

She leaned over and kissed him softly. It was like she was riding on that carpet again.

_Hey Helga, you realize something don't you…it's not…_

"Real." She whispered.

She pulled away from him and let go of his hand.

"Goodbye Arnold."

"Wait! Will I ever see you again?"

_**Will you? Will you?**_

"Of course you will. I'm always around. You…might not realize it at first. I like to keep to myself sometimes. But you'll know it's me, just by looking into my eyes."

"What do you mean?" She smirked.

"You tell me."

"Hope…I…I just want to stay…stay here, or maybe go with you… see the world…together."

_**It's all you ever wanted, Helga.**_

_It's not real though, don't believe it._

_**Isn't this what you wanted. For him to notice you. Maybe things can change now.**_

_He called you Hope. You're not Hope._

"Arnold…I'm not real. I'm not real, Arnold. You're dreaming."

"Dreaming, I can't be dreaming."

"Goodbye Arnold."

"Hope! Wait! I can't be dreaming!"

_**And maybe you aren't….**_

_******+_+_+_+_+kayhampster+_+_+_+**_

"Arnold!"

Helga woke up screaming his name and falling onto her bedroom floor, rubbing her side. She shot a look towards the clock. 9:15. She rushed around her room, throwing on a pair of basketball shorts and a t-shirt from a pile on the floor, grabbing her baseball glove and ran out the door. As she ran, all she could think of was her dream.

_All a dream. Who am I kidding? Stupid potion._

She sighed as she crossed the street and noticed the rest of the gang at Gerald Field and continued to run towards them.

"Sorry I'm late, let's go."

After several hours of baseball, Helga and Arnold were the only ones who remained at the field. She continued to pitch into the gated fence while she watched Arnold out of the corner of her eye as he drifted off into his own little world. A stray ball rolled towards him.

"Arnold."

No response. She called his name again, and again, and again before she lost her patience.

"Hey Football Head!"

He looked up as she started to run over to him.

"What are you, off in La La Land? I asked you for my ball back 5 times!"

"Oh…sorry."

She leaned over him to pick the ball up but looked into his eyes. He looked at her in confusion.

"Hope?" Helga froze.

_Oh. Crap._

She felt her grip tighten around the baseball in her hand.

"Hope? What about Hope? Is there someone named Hope? You on some kind of crazy pills?"

_Smooth there Helga._

"I'm fine Helga. I'm a lot better actually."

"Uh…well, alright then."

"You walking home?"

"Was about to."

"You think I could join you?"

"Whatever floats your boat, Football Head."

Arnold walked beside her as she felt the smile creep onto her face.

_Maybe that old woman wasn't so crazy after all._

* * *

And that my dear readers is Chapter 18. I hope you enjoyed.

Here's your preview for Chapter 19!

**"And if loving her is heartache for me, and if holding her means that I have to bleed, then I am the matyr, love is to blame, she is the healing and I am the pain..."**

Hope to be back to write regularly soon!


	19. He Lives in a Daydream

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Hello, hello!**

I bring you Chapter 19.

Chapter 19 is loosely based off of She is the Sunlight by Trading Yesterday

The lyrics do make an appearance later and they are in bold and italics.

I'm in the process of writing Chapter 20 right now, so hopefully that comes out sooner rather than later.

**Enjoy Chapter 19 in the mean time!**

(Ps. It's a Rhonda and Curly story!)

* * *

"Your assignment today and for homework for tomorrow is a poem about something, or maybe even someone important to you. The thing is, you can't say in the poem what it is. Let us, the audience figure that out. We'll read our assignments out loud tomorrow. Start writing!"

For Rhonda Wellington Lloyd, there were a lot of important things to her. The walls and walls of clothes and shoes in her closet, her fabulous wealth, her lovely parents who let her do whatever she wanted, like throw parties and trash their entire summer home and not punish her for it. She had been…poor…before when she was younger, getting a taste at the lives of her fellow classmates. Her family had lost all their money and lived in Arnold's boarding house. She had been miserable the entire time. A princess and a snob. Sure, she was living the life that just about every girl in her freshman class could only dream about, but something wasn't right about it. Was it enough?

"Rhonda. Psst. Rhonda."

She heard a whisper beside her, turning to see her blonde best friend with an overbearing grin on her face.

"What are you writing about?" Rhonda paused.

"I'm not sure yet."

"I'm writing about butterflies. You know, because of how…"

"That's nice, Nadine."

Nadine shrugged and turned back to her notebook, scribbling wildly across the page where as Rhonda continued to stare at the blank notebook in front of her. She sighed and attempted to doodle on the sides of her pages as the bell rang and her classmates filed out of the classroom and into the crowded halls. Rhonda soon found herself surrounded by unpopular suitors and dramatically shook them off before leaping into the safety circle of her other rich and popular friends. She was a Hillwood High all-star. Girls envied and secretly idolized her; boys wanted her, seniors even made attempts at talking to her.

But she had a secret.

If her friends only knew, they'd shun her, never being able to live it down.

"Hey Rhonda, you ready to go?" Nadine stood beside her.

"No, I have French tutoring after school. I'll call Henry later to pick me up."

"Okay, see you tomorrow!"

She would stand by her locker every day until the hallways cleared, where she opened the door to a nearby janitor's closet and slipped inside. In a 8 by 10 dark room, she was still able to make out the shadows of a tall figure lurking from the back of the closet, a small smile creeping onto his face.

"Hello beautiful."

"Gammelthorpe, I told you. No compliments. No words. None. Just give me."

She pulled him into her arms, crashing her lips onto his. He tasted like cigarettes, cigarettes and cinnamon chewing gum. It was not matching well with the pineapple lip- gloss she slapped haphazardly across her lips the period before. They would crash against mops and brooms as she pushed him against the wall, keeping their lips and limbs intertwined. And then she would usually let go. She'd let go, wipe her lips with the back of her hand and walk out the door without a word, all to repeat the process the next day. This time was different. She wiped her lips with the back of her hand, but as she reached for the doorknob, an arm reached out to stop her.

"Rhonda."

She turned to face him.

"I…I don't wanna hide from people anymore."

"Yea, well, you agreed to this. You can get this if you keep it a secret. That was our deal."

"I know. But can't we do this where I'm not constantly trying to avoid stepping in buckets?"

"No way! Do you know what this could do to my rep if someone saw us together? I'd be labeled a freak for life!"

"Is being a freak such a bad thing?"

"When you're popular like I am, yea."

"But don't you get it, you're so much more than that."

"Yea, I'm rich, pretty, sophisticated…"

"You're more than just a pretty face, Rhonda. There's so much more than that."

"Oh yeah, like what?"

He moved himself out of the dark and pulled her closer to his chest. She stood, looking up at him and noticed the long dark and slightly curly hair waving over his eyes, his tanned face and strong jaw. He has definitely gotten attractive since he had come back from juvenile hall, well for a dweeb. But the only thing on her mind was what everyone would say as they walked down the hall. She turned away from him.

"Rhonda…"

She turned her eyes to the floor.

"Look at me, please."

She looked back up at him.

"You have me."

He reached up to touch her face but she pulled away.

"I just can't…"

"But why?"

"I…"

"Does this not mean anything to you?"

"I…I don't know."

"Well…maybe I don't know if I can do this."

"And why not?"

"I don't understand why you have to hide from people. Let me know when you aren't too concerned with your popularity."

He walked out of the closet as she watched from the doorway, closing the door in front of her and sliding to the floor and put her head to her knees.

**+_+_+_+_+kayhampster+_+_+_+**

She laid in her bedroom in her silk pajamas, staring out the window at the night sky. She was attempting to fall asleep but she couldn't. Her eyes were betraying her, her thoughts betraying her because as soon as she closed her eyes, he flooded her mind. The way that he looked, the bad boy reputation she had always been attracted to, the way he called her beautiful, the things he was willing to do for her and the things he was willing to do to hide his feelings for her, just to make her happy.

But she couldn't be with him. Her friends would leave her, she'd never live it down, and people would judge her in revenge of all her previous judgments on them. So she continued to lay in her bed, moving her head from the ceiling to the window in restless sleep. And then she pulled out her English notebook and wrote until the sun rose.

**+_+_+_+_+kayhampster+_+_+_+**

Sitting in her English class, just waiting for another 20 minutes was going to make her explode. Her classmates were reading their assignments out loud, stupid poems about their best friends, families, material objects. It was surprising how annoyed she was with the topics. But the one poem that stood out was his. It wasn't an angry poem or a poem about grief. It was a poem about a rose, sure a simple flower in reality but she couldn't help but keep her attention on him as he read. And he would look up at her occasionally before putting his eyes back to the paper. She frowned and drew shapes on the side of her notebook as it ended.

"Very nice, Mr. Gammelthorpe. Our last poem is Miss Wellington Lloyd's."

She looked at the teacher in front of the room.

"Rhonda?"

She scrambled the papers around her desk before moving slowly towards the front of the classroom. The entire class stared at her, some rolled their eyes and scoffed, others dropped their gazes to their notebooks, like they knew. Like they knew that she would write a superficial poem as per usual. But she turned the page and began to read.

**_If all the flowers faded away_**

**_And if all the storm clouds decided to stay_**

**_Then you will find me each hour the same_**

**_Cause he is tomorrow and I am today_**

She stopped to breathe, looking around the room for a reaction, but got none. She continued.

**_Cause if right is leaving, I'd rather be wrong_**

**_Cause he is the sunlight and the sun is gone_**

**_And if loving him is heartache for me_**

**_And if holding him means that I have to bleed_**

**_Then I am the martyr and love is to blame_**

**_Cause he is the healing and I am the pain_**

She looked around the room again, noticing several classmates' passing notes to each other and whispering. Just whom was Hillwood High's "princess" talking about and why now? But she kept her gaze on a certain someone, who wasn't looking back at her, but instead kept his focus on his notebook. She sighed.

**_He lives in a daydream where I don't belong_**

**_Cause he is the sunlight and the sun is gone_**

As she finished the poem, it remained silent until her teacher cleared her throat quickly.

"That was wonderful, Rhonda. You can take your seat."

She stiffly moved back to her seat as she heard a chorus of giggles around her and slumped her head into her desk, her cheeks bright red. But she sat in silence, in the same position, until the bell rang and she was the first one out the door, afraid to deal with her classmates attempted to pull her aside.

"Rhonda!"

She walked faster and turned her head quickly to see Nadine and several other girls attempting to make their way through the crowds. She felt an arm pull her away from the crowd and she was almost relieved. Almost.

"Rhonda."

She looked back into the same pair of eyes that inspired her.

"I wrote it about you." She whispered.

"I never asked."

"You needed to know." He smiled.

She leaned up and kissed him out in the open for the first time, pushing him against the locker. He wrapped his arms around her waist, smiles permanently plastered on their faces. He kissed the top of her forehead. She could hear the gasps and the whispers as people walked by them and she didn't care. She was finally happy, happier than her things and popularity could ever make her. And that was all that mattered.

* * *

Hope you guys enjoyed Chapter 19!

Here's your hint for Chapter 20! (Updated as of 4/7: I changed the song...found one that's a little better for what I'm writing)

**"Standing where I am now, standing up at all, I was used to feeling like I was never gonna see myself at the finish line..."**

See you soon!


	20. I'm Not Your Hero

Hello, hello.

**Here is Chapter 20**! Finally.

Hope you guys enjoy it.

The song is a song by **Tegan and Sara** called **"I'm Not Your Hero"**

Also look in the author's notes for Chapter 21's hint as well as some new information!

**Disclaimers: **I own not a thing. Except my ideas.

* * *

**Standing where I am now, standing up at all  
I was used to feeling like I was never gonna see myself at the finish line**

She watched the city from the tallest building she could find, draping her legs casually over the side and staring off into the distance. Everything seemed peaceful, a change of pace from the hustle and bustle that it was usually in. She ran a hand through her hair, pulling it out of the tight ponytail and letting it fall against her shoulders.

She was chosen. It was taking some time to get used to. She was chosen, by some being above, whoever decided to give her these responsibilities to protect them, the city below her from the dangers of everyday life. Hillwood's resident superhero. Their number one crime fighter. She had been working the angle of Masked Storm for too long. She hated the name, she hated the tight costume, she hated the mask, but for some odd reason, she knew she wasn't going to be let off easily.

**Hanging on to parts of me, hanging on at all**

She used to be normal. A normal 21 year old girl who was just about to start her senior year of college. Well, maybe not all that normal. Her parents still didn't know she existed, she had a part-time job at a coffee shop to pay for the things she needed, her sister was still perfect. She had issues. More issues than she could fair to count. But her life changed.

She had decided to help some old man find his stupid ring in the park. He begged and pleaded and she caved, searching for hours upon end until she found a gold ring with a pink gem in the middle. Questioning why an old man would wear a ring with a pink gem in it, she attempted to search for the old man, before realizing that he had completely vanished. She had turned the ring over in her hand before putting it on. She should have never put that ring on.

The one time she decided to be nice, led to her being the way she was now. A pink spandex covered freak with amazing superpowers and the need to have more identities than she needed. Two identities wasn't all that bad, three was pushing it.

Three different Helgas. The faithful best friend, the hardworking and ignored daughter, and a superhero with super-strength and speed.**  
**

**I was used to seeing no future in my sight line**

There was something that was constantly blocking her mind. The fact that she could never get away from the place that has constantly tormented her, from the people that she had casted away. She needed to protect them, this place that she wanted to see destroyed from the ground up. But when she stared down at that ring, she knew that she couldn't.

There was no other potential to a future beside this. With all the secret identities that she had, she couldn't mask all of them from people. If she got exceptionally close to anyone, they were in danger. She realized that sooner rather than later, she would have to abandon everything that made her Helga G. Pataki and fully embrace the identity of the Masked Storm. Whether she wanted to or not.

**Sometimes it feels like they wanna remind me  
Send all those villains after me**

She lifted herself from the edge of the building and heard a scream from below and the mad rush of people running in the opposite direction. She cursed silently, put her hair back up and the mask over her eyes and dove into the middle of the street, staring up at giant mutant…was that a…crap.

She hated rats.

And there was a giant mutant rat running rampant throughout the city with a tiny man screaming on top of it about taking over the city, same old, same old. But she stared into the eyes of the rats and tried not to scream herself.

But she jumped up there to take the man out before the rat decided to bite her and completely kill her. She dodged and ducked and punched and kicked. Normal superhero maneuvers she had learned from the countless amount of hours she had spent in the arcade when she was younger and attempts to avoid her house. But she fought it and she won. All of them were grateful in the end, she knew that. But it wasn't enough to know that no one really knew who she was. The curse of being a superhero.

She just wanted to scream from the rooftops that she was the Masked Storm… and that she didn't want this anymore.

**I'm not their hero  
But that doesn't mean that I wasn't brave**

She slid to the ground and gripped her knees, putting her head in between her knees. Holding back the tears that she wished that she could cry. Until she heard the footsteps behind her. Part of her wishing that she couldn't hear them and continue to block out the rest of the world, but she felt her fists clench up and she knew. She knew something, someone, was there and was almost certain that anyone trying to sneak up on her wasn't good. She lifted her head from her knees as the footsteps got louder before she flipped around and grabbed the figure around the throat, squeezing tightly. It wheezed before it gasped out.

"I'm not here to kill you!"

She looked at the notebook by his feet. She had determined by the adam's apple moving against her arm and the panicked deep breaths he was giving. She let go before walking away.

"You're still not welcome up here."

She turned back to the skyline.

"I was hoping for an interview. For the Hillwood Gazette."

"I don't do paparazzi."

"I don't have a camera, just this notepad. No audio recorders either."

"I don't do press. No interviews, no nothing." She hissed.

"It would only…"

"You're just going to be persistent on this, aren't you?"

"It'll be my big break. To get the story behind the Masked Storm."

"Big break? So you're new at this. Figures." She huffed.

He rubbed his neck. It was then that she actually noticed the boy standing at the other end of the platform. Blond hair sticking out underneath a Hillwood Jets ball-cap. He was fairly muscular, a guy who obviously paid attention to the way his body looked. He wore a faded blue button down and jeans, converse on his feet.

"How old are you anyway?"

"I'm 22."

Too young for his first break. Especially with the Gazette. A newspaper with rich hotshots attempting to run a business, rather than create actual news.

"What makes me think I can trust you?"

"I didn't expect you to."

"Then why are you even here."

"I was hoping to try to."

**I never walked the party line  
Doesn't mean that I was never afraid**

"Why me?"

"Why not? You came out of nowhere! You've saved the city countless times and never said a word to anyone. I had to follow rumors to figure out where you were hiding. Might I say though, the old FTI building was a pretty good spot."

She fought the urge to smile at him.

"I'm not that interesting."

"I doubt that."

"I'm not going to tell you who I am."

"I know. Some secrets need to be kept secret."

"No, I mean. I'm not going to tell you who I am."

He paused.

"Why?"

"I'm not much. And besides…"

"You still don't trust me. I know."

She turned away from him and sat against one of the large columns. The sun was setting into different shades of gold and pink, the bright orange looking sun in the middle of it. It was beautiful.

"What if I told you everything about me?"

She looked back at him. There was a desperate look in his eyes.

"Why should I…"

"Care? Look, you're the most interesting thing in this town. My bosses might not think so, but when a superhero comes out of nowhere and saves the city countless numbers of times and doesn't bother to ask for anything in return. It's something that the city has never seen before."

"I'm no hero…"

**I'm not your hero  
But that doesn't mean we're not one and the same**

"Of course you are! You saved…"

"I know who I saved."

"You saved me."

She turned to look at him.

"I was mugged not too long ago. Big guys, I didn't see it coming. But you saved my life. I almost died. I was on my way home after one of my night classes; I'm a teacher's assistant for a journalism class at Hillwood University. They kept kicking and kicking and I couldn't feel anything after a while. You came out of nowhere and I passed out as I watched you fight those guys. You manage to take me to the hospital, I woke up and you were gone."

"It was nothing…"

"I made it my life to write about how you saved my life and countless others."

He walked over and sat beside her as she pushed herself away from him.

"I'm not a hero. I'm not YOUR hero. Their Hero. Anyone's hero."

"Why say that?"

"I just…I was just like you before. "

"You were?"

"What's it like? Being normal?"

"It's not that great. I'd rather be super than normal."

"Being super isn't all its cracked up to be. They didn't care then, they don't care now."

**Sometimes it feels like the side that I'm on  
Plays the toughest hand, holds the longest stand**

"So what about you, a journalist…why a career like that?"

"I've always been into writing. My father kept a journal of his adventures. He and my mother were doctors, they'd travel to help sick people and the last trip they went on, they never came back. But I found my father's journal in the attic of our house and I read it. My grandfather suggested that maybe I kept one too. So I did. It all went from there."

"You haven't always lived here, have you?"

"No. Just moved here for the job."

"What else?"

"My best friend and his wife live here and I live with them. He's a music teacher, she's a scientist. They met freshman year and then he transferred from NYU to be with her in Hillwood. I'm living with them til I can stand on my own two feet."

"You really love writing that much?"

"I do. I get you don't trust it. I heard the reputation the Gazette has. But maybe this could change all that. Maybe you could change all that."

"I doubt it."

**Sometimes it feels like I'm all that they've got  
It's so hard to know I'm not what they want**

"If they knew you…"

"If they knew me, they would label as a freak, not a hero. Don't you get it? Once they find me out, I'm labeled as a psychopath. They don't want a superhero here. They want someone they can know exists."

"You exist."

"Yeah, who wants to believe that a superhero exists when there isn't anyone else around. Superheroes are meant for the comic books."

"Who wants to deal with reality, when they can have something out of the ordinary."

"Only you want that."

"You're all they got."

I'm not their hero

**But that doesn't mean that I wasn't brave**

He got up, took the baseball cap off his head and ran his fingers through his hair before returning it to his head.

"It's getting dark. The city isn't safe at night."

"I think I'll be okay."

"You really don't want me saving you again."

"Maybe I do."**  
**

**I'm not your hero  
But that doesn't mean we're not one and the same**

He smiled before walking away from her, leaving her in a complete daze before she pulled the tight ponytail out again and put the band around her wrist.

"You really want to know what your hero is all about?"

He turned back to her.

"More than anything."

"Cross me, and I will kill you."

"I promise I won't."

She hesitated.

"Meet me tomorrow. 3pm. Don't be late."

"A journalist is never late."

"I don't trust the press."

"You don't trust anyone."

"I see no reason too."

"You can trust me."

"3pm."

"3pm."

He walked down the steps of the building before she decided to take the mask off and stare at her reflection in the windows of the abandoned building.

**I do my best to walk the finest line  
Till I've had all that I can take**

"Man I am going to regret this."

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Hope you guys liked Chapter 20! Here's Chapter 21's hint:

_**"She said she saw me on TV, this girl's a legend in the late night scene, and you could tell she aimed to please, cause she just wouldn't take her eyes off me..."**_

I'll warn you now, Chapter 21 will finally earn that T rating. Maybe. Most likely yes though, depends on how I write it.

**In other news:**

My junior year of college is almost ending, which means summer. Which means more time for me to write! Yay! Which means faster Songs of Hillwood updates, and the unveiling of Fighter! Whoot! I'll let you guys know when Fighter is going to be going up on my Tumblr. Speaking of which...

I have made a Tumblr. On that tumblr I shall be posting Songs of Hillwood chapters as well as previews of incoming chapters and stories, including stories like Fighter and possibly Mission Forever. Hmmmm... but I will also be putting up other stories that aren't necessarily Hey Arnold stories,but still considered fanfiction. So if you like my writing, come and check me out at

** .com.**

Thanks for reading and I hope to update soon.


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